Crouching Tiger
by Crystal Manning
Summary: She was banished at the age of seven and vowed never to return. Eight years later she finds herself returning to the home she once turned her back on. She has a mission to carry out and won't let anyone get in her way if she can help it. But life has a funny way of getting involved and steering even the strongest and focused of sorts off track. OC. Complete.
1. Chapter 1

**Crouching Tiger**

**Summary-[Set in G-Rev] **She was banished at the age of seven and vowed never to return. Eight years later she finds herself returning to the home she once turned her back on. She has a mission to carry out and won't let anyone get in her way if she can help it. But life has a funny way of getting involved and steering even the strongest and focused of sorts off track. OC

**Rating: **T for few scenes of violence and swear words**  
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**Chapter One**

"Dammit! That is so fucking stupid!" I cursed as I ripped the piece of paper that was in my hands to shreds. It was about the next Beyblade Tournament. I had been planning on entering by myself but that dream was squashed. There were two things stopping me: 1) The only way I could enter was if I was with a team and 2) the team had to be the team of the district I grew up in.

And I would rather die than to blade with them again. "What'm I going to do now?"

"I suggest pay for that blade part unless you just want to leave now," the person behind the counter said in an exasperated voice. I huffed as I placed my money on the counter and took the blade part from him. Checking it over once more I quickly left the store, taking extra care to step on the scraps that littered the floor.

"This can't be happening! I don't want to go back to that silly team!" I muttered, kicking a rock down the street. I pulled my beyblade out of my pocket and stared at it. The sun made the metallic blue blade sparkle. I smiled as I felt a familiar tingling feeling spread through my finger tips. I've had my beyblade forever and my Bitbeast, Dricen, has been with me for as long as I could remember. We've been through a lot and I would never give him up for anything. "But I want to blade. What do you think I should do, Drice'?"

I closed my eyes and squeezed the blade. A chill swept through me and I let out a small sigh at his answer. I opened my eyes again, put him in my pocket, and continued down the street. Once I made it to my hotel room I managed to get a concierge to help me book a flight to leave the next morning.

"I just know that I'm going to regret this," I muttered as I climbed into bed and turned off of the light. The shrill alarm clock woke me up the next morning. My heart beat hard against my chest and i had to take a few breaths to calm myself down at the sudden noise. I slammed my fist on it and started to get ready to leave. Once I checked out of the hotel I took a taxi to the airport. The whole ride there I sat in the backseat gently running my thumb over the chip where my bitbeast resided, practicing meditation techniques that I learned when I was young. They were good for my flying anxiety, despite how many times I've flown in my life. As I always say if we were meant to fly we'd have wings. After I paid the taxi driver I entered the airport and got my ticket. Sitting for a while near the gate I watched a Beyblade News Report on TV. Although it wasn't really interesting I kept my attention on it as Mr. Dickenson was being interviewed about the new tournament that was being held.

Finally, I heard my flight being called and I gave my ticket to the lady at the door and walked along the long tunnel to the plane. After I found my seat I sat down and looked around at the other occupants: men in business suits, mothers with children, even a group of people in some school uniform. One of the little kids in the uniform looked in my direction and smiled. I gave a little smile in return.

"This is exciting!" He gushed. "My first time on an airplane! I'm a little nervous though. But I have my class with me!"

"That's nice, kid," I replied.

"Is this your first time flying?"

"No." I got comfortable in my seat and buckled myself in. "I'm no stranger to planes."

A few more people came aboard as we sat there, waiting. The kid across the aisle from me began to bounce in his seat from anticipation as he talked excitedly to the others. I kept my hands on my lap and slumped a little more in my seat, trying to get comfortable while thinking about how long the flight was. It made me wish I had brought something to entertain myself with. A man dressed in a business suit appeared by my side and he cleared his throat.

"Sorry," I mumbled and unbuckled myself, letting my feet up so he could pass me. He lifted his briefcase and set it inside the overhead compartment. He placed his hand on his stomach to smooth his tie and shuffled past me to sit in his seat. I buckled myself once more and got comfortable again, stretching my legs out as far as possible.

"Kids," the man next to me mumbled under his breath in a different language. My lips curled up in the corners. It wasn't one I heard in a while but I could speak it and understand it perfectly.

"Adults," I mocked him, switching to that language as well.

His eyes widened and his cheeks turned red before he dug his face into his magazine. My chuckles were drowned out by the sound of the airplane's engines starting up. Leaning forward, I looked out the window and noticed that we had pulled away from the gate.

_Well. No turning back now._

The next thing I knew I was being woken up by the jolting of the plane's wheels hitting the ground.. Instantly I grabbed onto my beyblade to check if it was still there and let out a small sigh of relief. The shiny surface seemed to wink back at me as I turned Dricen and it caught the sunlight. Briefly pressing my thumb against the bitchip i replaced the blade into my pocket. I gathered my belongings and waited for the seat belt sign to turn off and for the plane to stop moving. Sighing I drummed my fingers against the armrest as the congested aisles slowly dwindled, the other passengers shuffling forward to get off the plane themselves. After a few more moments I jumped out of my seat and began climbing over the others in front of me, thanking anyone up there that could hear me for granting me with a small frame. Squeezing past the others jammed at the entry way I managed to get out and find my back in a few short minutes.

The bright sun made me close my eyes for a few moments as soon as I stepped out of the airport. I brought my hands up to shield my eyes to blink them open enough. Once I regained my eyesight I walked briskly away from the crowds. The noise was starting to hurt my ears. After a few moments I slowed down to a walk as I let the cool breeze blow around my jet black hair. A smile came onto my face as feelings of familiarity hit me like a rushing river. The neon lights, the frantic pace, the sound of beyblades in mid-fight...

_"C'mon! I want to beybattle now!"_

_"Will you blade against me?"_

_"Your promised me a beybattle!"_

I shook the voices of my past out of my head and continued walking down the dirt path. For a while the only sound that reached my ears was the soft babbling of the river moving past rocks and my shoes scuffing against the ground. Thankfully I made it to the dock right before the only boat left. I told the man directions to where I wanted to go and sat back, lazily looking into the crystal blue water. The bright water that seemed to match my eyes. I wouldn't put it past my parents to have named me after it. I took off my black fingerless glove from my right hand and let it drag in the water. Chuckling I watching as the fish darting away from my hand. I pulled my hand back and closed my eyes, enjoying the sun on my face. _This is the only time you'll get peace so you might as well enjoy it._

Not enough time had gone by after that thought moved through my mind when the boat driver said "Excuse me, miss" as he tapped my foot, causing me to wake up. "We're here."

"Thanks," I grumbled, stretching and yawning. I got out of the boat and stretched again, looking around before I started down the familiar. Man, how long has it been since I walked on this very dirt? Not long enough if I were to have my way. Soon I was engulfed in the woods, but I wasn't afraid of getting lost. I, unfortunately, knew where I was going.

I stopped and looked around with narrowed eyes. It was way too quiet; even these woods were constantly filled with noise. But nothing was moving. And then the distinct sound of gears spinning reached my ears. I jumped back as something landed where my feet was a couple of seconds ago. A black beyblade was spinning on the ground. I smirked as I quickly attached my blade to my launcher and shouted, "_Let it rip_!" Dricen immediately went on the attack; I had faith in him so I didn't have to watch the battle. I slowly scanned the trees around me for the person who attacked. "COWARD!" I shouted. "SHOW YOURSELF!"

"Didn't expect to see you back, Traitor," a growl responded as a boy walked forward. I clenched my teeth and fists once I recognized him. The cat-like eyes, the snarl, the lion-like nose... Those features were hard to forget.

"Lee!" I hissed as he smirked at me. "Where do you get off by launching your beyblade at me?"

"You aren't allowed here!" Lee Wong growled, ignoring my question. "You've been banned! Get out of here!"

"You won't even let me explain? Same ol' Lee; doesn't listen to what anyone says," I responded with a mocking sigh, looking down at the battling beyblades. My eyes widened as a red, a purple, and a pink beyblade joined the black one and they started pushing Dricen back. "Four against one, eh? Still can't battle without the help of your friends?"

I could see that he was getting frustrated. I remember now he gets frustrated too easily. Once that sentence left my mouth the owners of the other beyblades came out: Mariah Wong, Gary Tan, and Kevin Cheng.

"You!" Mariah hissed as she pointed a finger in my direction. I shrugged my shoulders at her. "You shouldn't be here! You've been banned!"

"Get out of here now!" Kevin added as he glared at me. Now that one hurt. But that's alright. If that was the game they wanted to play, two could play it.

"Why don't you try and make me?" I demanded, crossing my arms.

"With pleasure!" Mariah responded. "Galux, Cat Bites attack!"

"Galeon, Spiral Lightning!"

"Galmon, Illusion Confusion!"

"Galzzy, use Bear Stomp!"

"Ooh, I'm so scared!" I muttered as I rolled my eyes. "Let's go Dricen, Mecca Claw Attack!"

I watched as the blades spun closer together, waiting for Dricen to defeat them all. A gasp tore from my throat when a storm gray beyblade knocked all of ours out at once. Frustrated, I growled as I held out my hand so Dricen could smack into my palm. That blade only belonged to one person. I should have known it wouldn't take too long before he came into the picture as well.

"Ray," Mariah said softly as he walked out of the bushes. He took one look around before he rested his fierce golden eyes on me. It made my heart skip a beat. I swallowed but held his gaze as he walked over to me. Hopefully he didn't notice my shaking hands. Damn him.

"What're you doing back here?" He asked. His voice was calm but there was a certain sound of anger behind it. "You've been banned."

_Again with the banning! Sheesh, is that the only word they know? _"Even you had to have heard about the new tournament all the way out here," I responded in a steady tone. "The rules are you have to fight with the team from your district. If that weren't the case I would've entered by myself. But, I want to be in the tournament, so I had to come back here."

Ray stayed quiet as he studied me, probably trying to see if I was telling the truth. It was a strange circumstance, I'll admit. I wasn't around to even train with this team and suddenly I wanted to be on it? Frankly, I wouldn't believe myself either.

And then Mariah was the one to break the silence Mariah, "Ray, you know that she's not allowed here anymore. We have to kick her out. That's what the Elder said."

"No Mariah," he said in a firm tone as he looked back at her. "She's telling the truth. She wouldn't have come here for any other reason." He turned back to me and added, "We'll see what the Elder has to say about this." He looked at me and lifted his chin. "Come."

I nodded slightly as I picked up my dropped backpack and followed him. I could hear Mariah arguing with Lee and Kevin. The smirk just wouldn't stay off of my face as I heard Mariah whine about something. I followed him into the White Tiger Village and suddenly felt as if every eye in the world was trained on me. Keeping my head down I stared hard at the ground and tried to focus on my footsteps but that was hard when my ears could pick up every harsh whisper tossed around.

"What's _she_ doing back?"

"Why's she here?"

"We are not safe!"

"We can not trust her."

My fingers began to hurt from how much I clenched and unclenched them. I just wanted to shout _'I never did anything! Stop blaming me!'_ but there was no point. I knew them. Once they had a thought in their heads, or a belief, it stuck. No matter what. Sighing, I followed Ray into a hut where an old man was sitting with his back to us, candles were on either side of him and he had the air of someone meditating.

"Elder, I have come with someone who has returned because of a tournament. It is the same tournament that I have returned for," Ray said as he stood behind the Elder.

The Elder slowly stood and turned around to face me. Ray bowed and shot me a look out of the corner of his eye. I hesitated but quickly bowed my greeting.

"Ray," The Elder said in a soft voice. "The only way she can battle is if she is on a team that's from her district." The Elder turned and looked at me. I remained silent as he said in the same soft voice, "Crystal…you have been banished from these lands, yet you come back for the tournament."

"Yes Elder," I responded with a nod. "I didn't want to come back, you see, but I love 'blading too much to stop battling just because I have to fight with my district team. I know I have been banished, but I have to battle or all of my training and hard work would have gone to waste."

"I see," the Elder said as he slowly rubbed his chin. It took a while for him to answer. I even thought that he had fallen asleep until he spoke again. "What would you do to be able to battle on the team?"

"Anything," I responded.

"Elder?" Ray questioned, I could hear confusion in his voice.

He storked his beard and nodded his head. "I will give you once chance," he finally replied. I blinked at him. Did I hear him correctly? "You are allowed to stay here but only if you do your share of the work. That means getting fire wood, cooking, sewing and any other work that you will be asked to do. If you step out of line once then you will be banned once more. No exceptions"

"That's fair," I said with a nod.

"Ray?" The Elder asked as he looked over at him.

"Sir?" Ray questioned.

"She is now a part of the White Tiger X team," The Elder told him. "As Captain, you're in charge of her. If she does anything to bring shame on this village"—I made a scoffed and rolled my eyes—"or she breaks any rule you come and tell me right away."

"Yes sir," Ray responded. I shot him a glare but, if he caught it, he didn't do anything to acknowledge it.

"Crystal, step forward please," The Elder said as he turned to me again. I could feel the muscles in my face contort my looks to reflect the confusion in my mind. I did as he said and stepped forward. "Please show your beyblade." I clutched Dricen hard in my fist as I slowly brought him out and held him in my palm. "Raymond, step forward and take out your beyblade please." Ray also did as he was told and held out his beyblade. The bit chip on my blade glowed light blue while Ray's glowed green. The light disappeared a second later as a shadow of a smile came to the Elder's face. "That is all. You two may leave now."

"Yes sir," Ray and I responded in unison as we bowed and left the hut. I had taken only a few steps when I felt a hand wrap around my upper arm. With a small yank I was tugged back. Whirling around and glaring at Ray I snatched my arm back. I could still feel his fingers digging into my skin.

"Listen, just because the Elder has given you a form of trust doesn't mean that _I_ trust you," Ray said fiercely as he gave me an intimidating look. "You have to earn my trust. And the others. You may be on the team...but that doesn't mean you're one of us again."

"I wouldn't have it any other way, Kon," I responded as I met his gaze with an intimidating look of my own.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

"So _you're_ the girl everyone's been talking about."

I whirled around to find the owner of the voice and it belongs to a girl who looked about my age. Her brown hair was pulled back in a ponytail, letting her unusually pointy ears show. Her golden eyes sparkled as she smiled, showing off her unusually sharp canines. Well, unusual to anyone else anyway. It didn't surprise me to see her with those attributes, I had them myself. It was weird _not_ to see someone else carrying those traits. Like everyone else she was dressed in traditional Chinese clothing: a silky purple short top, dark purple shorts, black slippers, and black wrist bands that had the yin yang symbol on it.

"I'm surprised you're actually talking to my face," I commented as I dropped my bag on the empty bed of the small round hut.

"I don't have a reason not to," she commented as she walked in and held out her hand. "Hi, I'm Mei."

"Crystal," I responded. I glanced at her hand for a moment before finally grasping it and gave it a few shakes. "So, I guess I'm going to be staying with you here."

"I guess." She paused and asked, "How come I've never seen you around here before?"

"I was born here," I replied slowly. I concentrated hard to keep my mind on the conversation and continued after clearing my throat. "But I was banned and wasn't allowed back here." Shrugging at her reaction (raised eyebrows) I still pressed on. "But there is a beyblade tournament that is coming up that I can't miss. The catch was that you had to blade with the team from your district. That's why I'm back."

"I see," was all Mei said before she moved over to a trunk and lifted the lid. She went through piles of clothes before she tossed shoes, pants, a shirt, and gloves at me. "The Elder said I had to give you clothes to wear while you were here. You're not allowed to wear those."

I looked down at the street clothes I was wearing. I didn't see anything wrong with them, they've become a sort of comfort for me once I left. I couldn't just get rid of them. We went back and forth about it for a while, each arguing our case until she threatened to get the Elder. At that point I knew that I had lost an had better comply with her, with all of them. I didn't want him on my back so I changed clothes, but I continued to wear my brown cargo shorts. My other clothes were replaced with a silky sleeveless blue top, those black slipper shoes, a black fingerless glove and a blue fingerless glove, both with yin-yang symbols on the backs. ("I couldn't find the match to either of those," Mei explained.) While letting out another heavy sigh as pulled my scrunchie out of my hair and replaced with with a cloth tied a cloth. _'You're doing this for Dricen. Don't forget that, you're doing all of this for Dricen.'_

The rest of the day was spent doing task after task after task just to please the group. First I had to carry wood from the woods to huts in the villages, then I had to help some of the women sew as I listened to some of the older women tell stories about their old days, after that I had to cook dinner for practically everyone in the village, after that I had to wash dishes, and to top it all off I had to wash a bunch of clothes in the nearby river. Once I got into the bed I was extremely pissed off at everyone (and sorer than I ever have been in a while) I'm sure they knew it too, but I kept my mouth shut. No need to give them a reason to look even more smug.

The sharp, crisp sound of birds chirping the next morning roused me from my dreamless sleep. Making a face at the noise, I yawned before slipping on my shoes and leaving the hut as quietly as possible. I walked down the dirt path into the woods, looked around, and then took off into a sprint. I liked the sound that the wind made as it whistled in my ear. While weaving in and out of trees that were in my way I pulled out y beyblade and my launcher. I ripped my blade and allowed it to spin next to me as I continued running. I didn't know where my feet were taking me, but I knew I had to get away from the village for a while.

And that's when I found it.

The old waterfall.

The roaring of the rushing water immediately calmed my nerves once I stopped running and stood to stare at it. I've been here too many times in the past that a part of me wanted to just leave and leave the bad memories behind with it, but the pull was too strong. It was always too strong. Moving closer to the clear water I paused after a few steps to remove my shoes and again after a few more to rid myself of my shirt. Looking down I checked to make sure my bandages were still tight around my chest and nodded once I knew it was secure.

The water was still as cold as I remember. It made goosebumps jump onto my skin and a shiver roll down my spine in only the best of ways. It seemed to wake up my senses. I wiggled my toes into the soft, squishy mud at the bottom and took in and released a few deep breathes. I waded into the water before swimming over to where the falls hit the pond. Once I got close enough I took a breath and stood beneath it. The shock from being hit with that much water made me let my breath go, but I was expecting it. It took a couple of minutes for me to get used to the water beating on my head, down my shoulders and my back, but eventually it felt like rhythmic beating.

I smiled a little when I heard Dricen spinning somewhere near me. I knew he was feeling what I was feeling, Dricen and I were connected like that. Few could understand how strong my bond with him is, it's like he's a part of me, like I'm the solid part of him. I see what he sees and I breathe his breaths. After a while I opened my eyes and let out a cleansing breath before swimming back out of the pool and climbing out of it. Dricen spun over to me and landed in my outstretched palm. I set hm down and began to squeeze out of my ponytail when my muscles tensed.

Someone was here.

"Dricen, go!" I commanded. He suddenly shot towards the bushes that were surrounding the waterfall. I heard a faint metal clinking sound and smiled as I pulled my Chinese shirt back over my head. Dricen flew back at me and spun at my feet as a gray blade followed. "I should've known you'd follow me."

"I have to make sure I know where any member of the team is at all times," Ray commented as he stepped out of the bushes.

"Good to know," I responded as I rolled my eyes. "You sure you weren't just waiting to get a peek?"

He pulled a face but didn't say a word. I had to turn away from him, I didn't like the way he was looking at me. My fingers had barely brushed Dricen to pick him up when he spoke again. "Battle me," he said suddenly.

"Excuse me?" I questioned as I turned to look at him. Was he crazy?

"I have to see if you deserve your place on the team or if the Elder is making a mistake," Ray responded. "Driger, go!"

How dare he say such a thing! "You're going to regret underestimating me!" I growled as I glared at him. "Dricen, attack!" I watched intently as our blades started attacking each other. In the back of my head I could hear Dricen growling in pain on several occasions. _'C'mon Drice', hang in there. You can do it.'_ I clenched my hands into fists when Driger started to push Dricen back. _'C'mon Drice', try to get away. Try to fight back.'_ "Dricen, Mecca Claw!" I smiled in satisfaction as my blade started to glow the familiar blue color as Dricen's roar echoed in my head. "Huh?"

His blade was gone!

"Above the battle zone is a battle zone too," Ray commented as I looked up and into his determined face. I let his words sink in and looked up to see Driger starting to fall back into the dish.

"No!" I gasped as he plummeted faster. There was no way that Dricen would be able to get out of the way of that attack.

"All right Driger, Gatling Claw!" Ray commanded as his beyblade started to glow green.

"Dricen, meet that attack with Mecca Claw!" I commanded as my beyblade glowed blue once more. The two blades clashes and electricity was sent flying out everywhere. I covered my face with my arms and I could hear Dricen's battle roar in the back of my head. I slowly lowered my arms and looked into the dish. Our blades were still spinning, but they were barley hanging on. "Go Dricen, Frozen Tundra!"

"Driger, Gatling Claw again!"

_'He can't be serious! Driger will loose too much spin if he tries to go for that attack, especially with Dricen's Frozen Tundra attack covering the ground_' I thought as I watched in satisfaction as the ground started to get encased in ice. Driger tried to spin away from the ice that was chasing it, but it got hit from behind and started to wobble dangerously close to the point of falling over.

"Driger…jump…" Ray said calmly as he watched his blade. I raised my eyebrows but my unasked question was answered when he slammed onto the ice, causing it to crack. Dricen ran over a crack and the crack split the ice, causing shards to fly in the air. Dricen was bombarded by shards and was knocked off of the frozen ground and landed on its side. I smiled a little in satisfaction when I noticed that Driger had suffered the same fate.

I closed my eyes and a soft growl escaped my throat. Blood began to pump through my veins and I turned to kick at a rock. How was he able to do that? There was just no way…no one was ever able to use that attack against me…_no one_. I opened my eyes to find Ray standing in front of me and holding my beyblade in his outstretched palm. I looked at him, as if it was a trap, but I reached out my hand and took it from him.

"Thanks," I muttered as I tucked a strand of my jet black hair behind my ear as I inspected my blade.

"You're welcome," he responded as he put his blade back in its pocket. "You're a strong opponent…you just have a lot to learn about battle tactics. And your defense is very weak."

"Hm," I grunted. Once I was satisfied that nothing happened to Dricen I put him back into my pocket. "And I'm guessing that you're going to be the one teaching me?" I questioned as I crossed my arms and gave him a pointed look. His from in my vision cut in half when I squinted at him.

"Training begins in an hour," was all he responded before he turned his back and walked back down the path.

I hated it when he did that.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

"Ok, from what I've heard this tournament has battles that are a tag-team one on one," Ray said as he paced in front of us, his arms held behind his back. His slippers made a soft scuffing sound every time he took a step. One could set a watch by him. "So, today we're going to practice blading with a partner so you can learn to help each other if we get in trouble in a battle." He fell silent and looked off into the distance. I rolled my neck and pushed an impatient sound out of my mouth. His gaze swept across us before he continued, "I want Gary and Kevin to pair up. Lee, you're with me, and Mariah you're with Crystal."

_Oh come on!_ I crossed my arms and scowled as Mariah glared over at me. Even when I lived here before Mariah and I couldn't stand each other. I couldn't understand why she hated me when I never did anything to her, though. Whatever it was the feeling was mutual. But, I had to thank her a little bit. If it weren't for her I would've never discovered how great I was at beyblading whenever I had something driving me, like anger for example.

"All right, Gary, Kevin, I want you to watch Lee and I battle Mariah and Crystal before you do anything."

The pink one nodded at Ray and then the angelic expression on her face dropped when she looked over in my direction. "You better not mess up!" Mariah hissed as she joined me on my side of the beydish.

"As long as you stay out of my way, we won't have to worry about loosing," I responded as I pulled my beyblade out of my pocket. The bit chip flashed as I felt a slightly numbing feeling in my finger tips which prompted me to smile.

"Whatever." She rolled her eyes before she pulled her beyblade out of her hair, somehow. But she is a girl after all and we do have strange places of hiding things. But even then that was a bit weird. I never saw a pouch or anything in her hair. "Give it all you've got, Lee."

"I won't hold back, Mariah," he responded with a smile as he got his blade ready. "Kevin, give us the count."

"All right, this is a two-on-two battle. The first team to be knocked out completely loses," Kevin said as we held out beyblades over the dish. "3! 2! 1!"

"LET IT RIP!" We called in unison as we launched our beyblades. Ray's and Lee's blades stayed close together as mine circled the dish along with Mariah's. _'So they like to keep it close. That's an easier way for me to take them both out. Oh well, that's their loss.' _"Dricen, take 'em out!"

"Oh, no way!" Mariah spat at me. "I'm not going to let you take all of the credit for beating them! Galux, go!"

My blade charged at theirs from one side and hers from another. Of course they ended up running into each other when Ray and Lee pulled out of the way. Mariah growled on my right side and her fingers curled in frustration. Well what else did she expect when she got in my way? Shaking my head I ordered for Dricen to attack again.

"Sheesh, this'll be too easy," Lee said with a chuckle as he shook his head. "Can't we just finish them now?"

"No Lee!" Ray told him. "We have to wait until they start battling together as a _team_." He turned and looked down at the beyblades that were in the dish. "Driger, evade!"

I growled in frustration as Driger moved out of the way. Before I knew it, Galux was coming from the other way and our blades smashed together again! They went reeling back a couple of inches but stayed in the dish. "Mariah, watch where I'm going!"

"Why don't _you_ watch where _I'm_ going?" She shot back. "You're in my way!"

"_You're_ in _my_ way!" I snapped. "Mariah, why don't you do yourself a favor and get knocked out of the dish so I can take care of these two myself?"

"Because _I_ can beat them and I don't need _your_ help!" Mariah shot back.

"You see?" Lee asked as he turned to Ray. I looked up at the two. He was shaking his head, an amused smile making his cat-like features stand out even more. "This is why girls shouldn't be allowed to beyblade."

"_WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY?_" Mariah and I demanded as we turned to glare at them. Lee flinched under our gaze as Ray laughed nervously.

"Girls can beyblade just as good as boys can!" I said through clenched teeth. Talk about living in the past.

"And better!" Mariah added. I nodded in agreement. I felt her eyes on me for a few moments. She looked at the ground, then up at me and her lips seemed to twitch before she finally asked, "Look, are you willing to…have a truce to teach these guys a lesson?"

"I was hoping you'd ask that," I responded as I gave a little smile. "Let's take them down! Dricen, go!"

"Galux, attack!" Mariah commanded.

The pink beyblade and the metallic blue beyblade spun near each other as they chased after Galeon and Driger. They sped up a little bit and smashed into the other blades, causing a grinding sound to fill the air. I kept my eyes locked on the blades as I tried to think of a plan of attack to make sure we won. But it was hard because it seemed like Driger and Galeon knew what we were going to do. Without looking at her I could tell that Mariah was getting frustrated.

"Let's finish this!" Lee said as his beyblade started to glow. "GALEON, SPIRAL LIGHTNING!"

"DRIGER, GATLING CLAW!" Ray commanded.

"GALUX, CAT BITES!" Mariah shouted.

"Dricen, MECCA CLAW!" I called out.

Galux and Dricen spun closer together as they started to glow. I watched as the pink mountain cat rose out of her blade and let out a yowl of attack. A smile came to my face as I watched Dricen rise out of his blade: the white tiger had three tails, hiss tail was tipped with a very light blue, his paws were black, and he had a shackle-like ring on his front two paws that controlled his powers. He let out a mighty roar as he charged towards the black lion and the white tiger that was running at them. All four blades collided and there was a low booming noise as bright light shot out of the dish. I covered my face with my arms and I could feel air rushing past me and whistling in my eras. I felt my feet slide back a couple of inches before I was sent flying off my feet. I landed on my side and I heard the familiar sound of beyblades hitting the dirt.

"Wow guys, that was a great battle," Kevin said with admiration shining in his eyes. "Except for you, Mariah, you could've at least helped Crystal a little bit."

"Watch it!" Mariah shot back as he stuck out his tongue. I hadn't been here that long, but so far Kevin was my favorite out of all of them. He was barely a baby when I left and I had no grudge against him. He didn't have one against me either, it seemed. He only followed Lee's and Mariah's orders. There were a few times I caught him following me as I worked around the village. Whenever I looked in his direction he could scurry off. I guess I showed him that I wasn't up to anything when I helped around the village without any complaints. Now if only the others could grasp that as well but, as they say, habits die hard. He turned his attention to the dish where the beyblades hit the ground.

"Hey…everyone's blades fell out of the dish," he pointed out as we walked over. _Wait, what?_ He was right, all of our blades were on the ground. I stared, amazed, at the blades that lay motionless, one of them even began to smoke a little bit.

"That was some battle," Lee said as he picked up Galeon.

"What about that crappy 'girls shouldn't be allowed to beyblade' comment?" Mariah demanded as she glared at her brother. "You know very well that I deserve this spot on this team!"

"Aww c'mon Mariah, you know I didn't mean it," Lee said nervously as he backed away from her. "I knew that you hated it when guys say that girls couldn't blade so I knew it had to be a girl thing. I knew by saying that it would help you two learn to blade as a team."

Mariah and I looked at each other as I let the words sink in. _How could I be so stupid? I should've seen this coming! I should've taken them out on my own and shown them that I didn't need anyone's help!_ I tore my gaze away from her as I bent down to pick up my beyblade and look it over. The attack ring was slightly scorched, probably from the explosion, but all in all it was ok. I stood and gripped my beyblade in my fist as I turned back to Mariah and stated, "I have to admit, you are a good beyblader. I respect your way of blading…but this doesn't mean we're friends."

"The feeling's mutual," Mariah responded with an understanding nod. I put my beyblade in my pocket and sat down on the ground as I watched Gary and Kevin take on Lee. _So this was just a test to see if I could blade with someone else on the team? He knows I don't blade with anyone else…no matter how well that battle turned out. But still, I can't help but wonder if I've earned my spot on this team. Or ever will. If they get thier way they'd probably cast me out again. They haven't exactly been the friendly sort._

Then again neither have I.

With a sigh I got to my feet and walked off. I could feel eyes watching me walk away but I never acknowledged the person as I continued down the path. I ignored everything around me as I took my time walking down the path. The only thing that snapped me out of my thoughts was the sound of a frustrated sigh. Curious, I followed the sounds until I spotted a little boy beyblading near some rocks.

"Why won't it stay up?" He asked with a whine as he reached for his beyblade.

"It's because you're not launching with a steady hand," I responded as I shoved my hands into my pockets. "Your arm is shaky. You need a steady hand for a proper launch."

"Can you teach me?" He asked as he looked up at me with big green eyes. I looked down at him: his eyes were wide with anticipation and curiosity. "Please? Please? Please?" He begged as he grabbed my arm and shook it. Man, kids are easily excitable these days.

"Alright, alright," I said with a small laugh. He smiled and began cheering as he jumped up and down. "Okay, okay settle down," I said and waved my hands at him. He immediately stopped jumping and, if it were possible, his eyes got wider as he waited. "Hold out your beyblade like you're going to launch it," I ordered as I pulled my hands out of my pockets and crossed them over my chest. He picked up his beyblade and reattached it to his launcher. He held them both out in front of him like he was going to rip it. I looked him over and saw that his arm was swaying slightly, but enough to make the blade mess up once it hit the dish or the ground. "Kid, you have to relax for one thing," I told him as he dropped his arm to look up at me.

"Relax?" He repeated.

"Yes," I responded with a nod following soon after. "You're too anxious for one thing. In a beybattle you have to focus on what's happening at that specific time. The second thing you have to do is trust your ability."

He lowered his arm as if he wilted. "But what if I'm not that good?" He asked as his eyes widened in fear.

Humming I slowly crouched until I was kneeling by him and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Believe in yourself anyway. You can learn from your battles, remember that too. That is really important. No matter how old you are or your experience you always have room to learn. Got it?" He nodded rapidly. I stood and backed away, groaning at the ache in my knees. "Ok, raise your arm again," I told him as I walked behind him. He did so and stood there as I gazed as his posture. "Now relax your arm a little." He did as he was told. "Turn it to the right slightly." Once again he did as he was told. "Ok, concentrate, and let it rip," I told him as I backed up. He glanced over at me before taking a deep breath and launching his beyblade. The blade bounced on the ground once, wobbled a little, but regained it's balance and spun on the spot. He started laughing with joy as his green eyes sparkled happily. I let out a little gasp when he wrapped his arms around my waist in a hug.

_I haven't been hugged in so long..._

"I don't know why the other villagers don't like you," he said once he pulled away. "You're really nice."

Geeze, do they all have to be so frank? "Kid…it's going to take them a while to trust me again," I said with a sigh as I sat down on a rock so I was eye level with him.

"Why? Did you do something bad?" He asked innocently as he looked up at me in curiosity.

"No," I responded with a chuckle, despite the conversation. "To make a long story short I was framed. Something happened to this village and everyone blamed me. So I was banished from the White Tiger Village. I'm back so I can participate in the next beyblade tournament that's coming up."

"A tournament?" he asked in excitement. "That's so cool! I want to be in a beyblade tournament one day."

"If you put your mind to it you can be in any tournament that you want," I said as I mussed his soft white-blond hair. He laughed a little as he smiled up at me. A feeling of…something filled me and I couldn't help but smile fully back at him. He was just so cute and…innocent. "Hey Kid, it's getting late. You better go back to the village."

"What about you?" He asked.

"I'll be fine. I need to train a little bit longer," I responded as I stood and stretched.

"Ok, I'll go…but will you teach me how to blade again?"

"Tell you what, Kid," I said gently. "I'll teach you right up to me leaving for the tournament. Deal?"

"Deal!" He responded as we high fived before he ran off. I launched my blade and watched as it spun on the solitary spot.

"How did it feel to see your twin, Dricen?"


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

The time it took to get to the tournament was a long one and filled with many chores. I don't remember ever working so hard in my life, not even when it came to manipulating others when the timing arose. Needless to say I really pulled my weight around the village, and then some. I cooked, I cleaned, I went out for fire wood, I looked after the little kids, and I trained to be the best beyblader that I could and to make the village people proud. It was only right, after they let me back in. My parents would want me to do it.

But that wasn't enough for them. Most of the women didn't trust me to look after their children. Since I was the only girl the village willing to look after them without getting paid, they agreed. But, judging by the looks they gave me as they dropped their kids off, they weren't happy nonetheless.

It came to me as no surprise as the tournament got closer that the villagers would be happy once I left. I could hear them whispering to each other whenever I passed by with Mei when we were either working or just spending our rare moments of free time exploring. It was beginning to get exhausting trying to ignore them all.

"I can't wait until the tournament. I can't wait to leave this place," I muttered as I kicked at a rock that was on the path.

"Just give them some time to get used to your presence," Mei said as she pulled a flower off of a nearby tree and stuck it in her hair.

"No matter what I do they won't get used to me being around. They all can't wait until I leave this place and never come back," I stated as I rolled my eyes.

"You're lucky you get to leave. If I liked to beyblade I would want to go out to travel the world and see what it has to offer. But I'm stuck here because of my mom and my arranged marriage and–"

"Hold the phone!" I said as I stopped her. She gave me a questioning look. Did she not hear a word she just said? "You're arranged to get _married_!?"

"Yes," she responded calmly.

"What kind of village does _that_!?"

"Ours," she laughed. I blinked and the smile dropped from her face, her lips parting slightly. "If you were born in the White Tiger Village then you're arranged to be married once you are born," she explained, her words coming out slow. Then she began tapping her chin. "You know what, you're probably still arranged to be married to someone." She must've seen my face because she started laughing. "Don't worry, the guys here are really nice and they know that the girls in the village and work as hard as they can."

"That's just messed up," I said as I shook my head and we continued down the path. We stayed silent until Mei asked, "So what do you think of your team?"

I waited until we reached the waterfall before I answered. I sat on a rock and leaned back so I was looking up at the sky and watching the puffy clouds gently fly by as I said, "They're good, I guess, they're obviously better than we were kids. I usually blade on my own so I don't rely on anyone else to back me up in a battle. Lee is a good blader if he doesn't let what anyone else say get to his head. Ray is the best out of all of them. He has skill that I haven't seen before. Even when we were younger he was a natural. Mariah is good I guess. She is one fierce competitor and guys have a reason to fear her. Kevin blades in his own crazy way that's unpredictable and could be very useful. And Gary is a good competitor if he has his mind set on the battle at hand and not food."

"It really doesn't surprise me that you think Ray is the best," Mei said. I sat up and saw a smile on her face.

"What's _that_ supposed to mean?" I asked as I narrowed my eyes.

"It means that almost every girl our age or below likes Ray," she responded as if it were obvious. "Why do you think that Mariah girl is around him all of the time? She likes him the most, as if it weren't obvious. You know, that could be why she hates you. Because he let you join their team. She could think you're taking away her spotlight or her attention or you're trespassing on her 'territory'."

"As opposed to the other reasons why she hates me?" I asked sarcastically as I rolled my eyes. I stopped the motion halfway. It seemed that I did that a lot.

"You mean that banned thing?"

"Yeah…" I fell silent as I pushed away those evil thoughts once more. It was ok to talk about, but I didn't want to explain _everything_ about how it happened. The memories still haunted my dreams and caused me to wake up in a cold sweat. Once I left I knew I could finally relax and not have to deal with the threatening stares and the constant questions.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to upset you."

"Nah, you didn't," I said as I shook my head. "No worries. It doesn't really upset me that much. I just don't like talking about it because I have to go through–"

"The past pain? I hear ya," Mei said with an understanding smile. "Where were you before you came here?"

"I was up in Canada visiting some friends," I told her as I threw a rock into the water and watched the ripples take over the surface. "It's funny, they blade a lot different then people do down here. Sure, they're competitive, but not nearly as competitive as people are down here. It's a sport up there but down here…it's like a whole new game."

"I wish I could understand the difference," Mei said with a laugh as she stood and brushed off the seat of her pants. "I have to head back. It's my turn to help sew with the Elders. You want to come back?"

"Nah, I'll stay here for a while," I responded as I shook my head and leaned back on the rock once more. I closed my eyes and let out a breath as I heard her footsteps fade away. I shot up when I felt a presence near me and I looked over to see none other than Ray. "Are you still stalking?"

"I'm not stalking you," he said as he shook his head and joined me on the rock. "It's not my fault you always show up somewhere where I'm going. That's merely coincidence."

"Riiight," I responded as I rolled my eyes. "How'd you know I was here?"

"You always came here when we were younger," he said with a shrug. "I knew you'd come back here."

"Oh yeah, you're not a stalker; you just know everything about me."

"Just about."

"So, what'd you want?"

"Here." I looked down at the envelope that was in his hand before I took it from him. As I grabbed it I felt something inside it slide. Curious, I opened the envelope and my eyes widened when I pulled out the object. I haven't seen it in so long. It was half of a yin-yang pendant. It was the yin half. It sparkled in the sun as I held it up; to make sure it was the same one. "It's the same," Ray said, as if he could read my mind.

"You kept this?" I questioned as I lowered my head and put it around my neck. I smiled as the familiar weight rested on my chest.

"Yeah. I found it after…the incident. I knew how much you liked it and I knew that you would come back one day so…I kept it."

"You knew that I was going to come back?" I repeated as I raised an eyebrow.

"Mhm. I just had this feeling after you left that you would come back. Actually, I _hoped_ that you would come back."

"And why's that, Kon?"

"I can't really explain it," he said slowly as he shook his head. "It may be because I haven't met an opponent as…skilled as you are in beyblading."

"Thanks," I muttered as I looked back at the waterfall. I stayed silent before asking, "Do you still have your half?"

He reached through the neck space of his shirt and lifted up the chain, smiling a little as the yang half of the pendant. "I've always kept it. I may not have always worn it, but I always kept it near by. Keeping this gave me hope that you would come back."

"You amaze me, Kon," I said as I shook my head.

"How?"

"Cuz at first you didn't trust me and now, about two days later, you're acting like my friend."

"People change over time, Crystal."

"I'm not that type of person."

There was a silence between us before Ray said, "I'm glad."

* * *

**A/N: Please R&R. Constructive criticism is welcome. Suggestions are welcome also.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

I hummed as I took off my shoes, rolled up my pants, and waded into the river. A smile formed on my face as my feet slid over the algae covered rock. It was slimy yet soft and comforting at the same time.

Standing still I watched as fish moved around my feet, some were curious enough to inspect my toes. I waited a bit more until they were within my reach and struck, easily grabbing two fish. They flopped and wriggled but I kept my grip tight on them, digging my fingernails into their scales. I threw them into the basket that I brought with me and looked around for more, staying as still as a statue.

My eyes rested on a fairly large fish that swam along, almost lazily. I slowly and carefully pulled my beyblade, launcher, and ripcord out of my pocket, never taking my eyes off of the fish. Once my blade was set I followed the fish with my eyes and waited for the perfect moment.

I swiftly pulled the cord, successfully launching my blade at the fist. Water sprayed into the air as it followed the big fish through the water, knocking out other fish along the way. I ignored them as they fell onto the bank behind me. The big one was the only one that I wanted.

"Move in a bit closer Drice', but slowly," I muttered. Barely skimming the surface of the river, my blade followed the fish as I moved around, taking a look at it's surroundings. "A little closer, now." Dricer moved closer, so close that it has spinning above its mid section.

Suddenly Dricer was knocked over by a mini wave that had sprung up. I lifted my head, ready to throw out a curse or two but it died on my tongue when I saw the fish in Ray's hands. He laughed when I let out a loud groan. "You have to be quicker than that," he commented, digging his nails into the fish's body until it stopped moving all together.

"I almost had it," I growled through clenched teeth.

"If you waited about five more minutes, sure." He looked past me towards the bank of the river. "Ah, you're on fish duty this week I see."

"What was your first clue, Sherlock?" I demanded, turning to wade back towards the shore. I was surprised to see that some of the fish were still flopping around. I grabbed them all and threw them into the basket, making sure to pierce their bodies to lower the chance of them jumping out.

"Need some help with that?" Ray asked, standing by me, still holding onto that damn fish that I helped him catch. Yeah, he didn't really do anything with those muscles that he _loves_ to show off. Not that I pay that close attention to him. Really, I don't.

"I am perfectly capable of carrying this back myself," I responded, using my knee briefly to help keep the basket in my arms. He shrugged and threw the fish he had caught on the top of my pile. I staggered a bit and glared at him and he smiled innocently. "What're you doing out here anyway?" I asked, looking at him out of the corner of his eye. At his face, not his bare chest, just trying to be clear here.

"Meditation," he replied.

"The water fall this time?"

He shook his head. "On a rock by the waterfall. Meditating under the waterfall isn't part of my training today."

"Don't want to get your hair wet?" I asked. He made a face and rolled his eyes, opening his mouth to say something but stopped. "What?" I questioned.

"Listen." He tilted his head a bit. Balancing the basket on one arm I tucked my hair behind my ear and listened hard. There was the unmistakable sound of beyblades hitting each other accompanied by a random groan of frustration. "Let's check it out."

"But I have to bring this back as soon as possible."

Ray was all ready walking in the direction of the sounds. "We won't be gone long and I'll explain to them as soon as we get back why you were late." I grumbled under my breath but followed him anyway. We walked a bit along the path and the sounds of the children and the beyblades got louder and louder. Finally we stumbled across a group of five kids standing around two beyblades that were spinning in a ring marked in the dirt.

"Look, it's Ray," a little girl whispered, her amber eyes shining as we approached. Her eyes rested on me a bit before glancing back at Ray. She nudged the other little girl who looked up and started giggling a bit. I rolled my eyes and set the fish down on the ground as the three boys stopped what they were doing and looked up at us.

"What're you up to?" Ray asked.

"Um, bey battling," the red haired boy replied.

"But it's not going well," the first girl spoke up. "It's only 'cause they won't do as I say."

"Your advice isn't helping, Sophie!" the red hired boy shot back, clenching his hands into fists.

"There's no need to get angry," I spoke up. "Beyblading is supposed to be fun. You shouldn't make enemies with anyone. Who knows, she may become the first female world champion one day, and you wouldn't want her to remember you as someone who made fun of her."

Sophie's eyes filled with hope. "Do you really think I could become the first female World Champion?"

"Sure," I replied, smiling. "Unless I beat you to it." I winked and she laughed a bit.

"You're going off for the tournament soon, right Ray?" the dark haired boy asked.

"That's right." Ray nodded.

"Do you think you could teach us some things? We want to be able to blade in tournaments just like you."

"Sure. I have some spare time." Ray pulled Driger and out of his pocket and set him up. He launched his blade and watched in satisfaction as Driger moved around with great speed, kicking up some dirt as the children watched in awe. "There's nothing to it. You just need persistence and a lot of practice." He smiled and watched Driger with his eyes for a bit before looking up. "What exactly are you having trouble with?"

"Well, I'm having a little trouble launching my blade and Meilin here is having trouble keeping her blade spinning on the ground," Sophie replied, nudging her silent friend. I chuckled a bit when Meilin turned red as Ray's eyes rested on her.

"Ok. Launch your blades for me and I'll see if I can spot the problem." Ray walked over to them and knelt behind them, keeping his eyes on their wrists as they set up their beyblades. After checking to make sure their blades were on right they launched them. They spun on the ground for a couple of seconds before rolling to a stop. "Oh, I see your problem," Ray addressed Sophie. "You have to keep your hand really still. Like this." He gently grabbed her right wrist and held it steady. "Now pull the rip cord." She did so and beamed. "See? You just have to keep this hand steady." He then turned to Meilin who was looking down at the ground. "And you, cutie, you're pulling your hand up when you launch. You just have to pull hand arm towards yourself." Meilin blushed and hastily grabbed her blade.

The effects some guys have on kids nowadays. I shook my head and rolled my eyes. Geeze, they're like mini Mariahs. It's sickening. I mean, come on, Ray's not _that_ good looking. "Miss Crystal, do you think you could help me with something?" the red head asked, lightly tugging on the hem of my shirt.

I knelt so I was eye level with him. "Sure. What's the problem?"

"Every time I try to attack another beyblade it veers off in the wrong direction," he responded, lightly shuffling his feet. "I think I'm launching it right…"

"Let me see. Launch your blade." I watched carefully as he pulled his arm back. He was pulling it at the right speed and his hand was steady. Sure enough his blade veered off to the right instead of aiming towards the other blade that was still spinning in the center of the circle. "Your hand is tilted a bit, even though it's steady. If you launch it like that the blade won't spin straight." I gently tilted his wrist a bit to the right. "Try it that way."

"Miss Crystal," the last boy, the purple eyed one, spoke up. "Every time I put my blade on the ground it doesn't spin for long and then it stops."

"Hey, you're the kid from before," I noted.

He nodded and smiled a bit. "Mhm. My name's Tao. I was hoping that you'd come out today. That's why I brought some friends with me, so you can help them too." He blushed. "If that's all right with you, I mean."

"Of course," I said as I reached out and ruffled his hair. "I'll give you all the help you need."

Ray and I spent the next hour helping the kids with their skills, giving them advice every now and then, watching as their faces lit up in happiness when they found their skills improving. That's what I liked about blading the most, seeing the excited looks on the little kids faces. It made me smile as well.

True to his word as soon as we got back to the village Ray took the blame as to why I was out later than I needed to. After that I made sure I didn't step on anyone's toes around the village, I did what I was told and I didn't stay out of the village for long. The only time I left outside of the village boundaries was whenever Ray ordered everyone to take a trip to the mountains for a few hours at a time to get more training in. I was the village's perfect little angel and I have to say I was getting tired of it.

"Hey. Wake up."

I groaned as I felt someone shaking my shoulder. Whoever was trying to wake me up was going to regret it. I was severely pissed off at having to wake up earlier than I was supposed to.

"Whaaaat?" I demanded as I sat up and rubbed my eyes.

"We have to go," Mariah responded in a whisper as she looked down at me.

"Waddya mean we have to go? We don't have to do chores for another…" I paused in my sentence to let out a yawn. "Three hours," I finished lamely as I flopped back down onto my bed.

"Fine, it'll be your fault that we lose the tournament because you're not there."

That instantly got me to wake up. I shot out of my bed and quickly and quietly pulled on my shoes. I glanced over at Mei and thought of waking her up to say bye but thought against it. As Mariah watched I quickly scribbled Mei a note, grabbed my bag and left the tent. As we met up with the guys I couldn't help but smile. I was finally leaving. I was finally getting away from the accusations and the stares that plagued me ever since I returned two weeks ago.

"Is everyone here?" Lee asked as he looked around. We all nodded but Kevin yawned his reply.

"The plane will leave in about three hours," Ray explained as we started walking down the path."And it takes about an hour to get from here and go to Japan."

I stopped for a few seconds before I continued walking. _Were' going back to Japan? Sweet! Now I can see Tyson again and see what he's up to. Maybe challenge him to a beybattle for old time's sake._

It was a long walk from the village to the docks where the boat was waiting to take us into the city. It seemed shorter when I came in. But it took forever to get there. I swore at one point Gary's weight alone was going to make the boat tip over. Kevin immediately drifted off to sleep on the ride, probably from the sound of the rocking of the vessel and the sound of the river gliding past the rocks on the sides. I wrapped an arm around him to pull him further away from the edge.

Once we got to the airport and went through bag checks and the metal detectors I sat down in a chair and fell into a light sleep. A strange golden-red glow invaded my dream. The smell of smoke followed it. I had to turn my eyes away from it, it was too bright, too hot...

Kevin woke me up later and we both rushed to get onto the plane before it left us. Everyone else fell asleep on the plane but I stayed awake holding onto Dricer and looking out the window. A sense of returning home filled me as we touched down in Japan and I could feel my spirits instantly lift.

"What hotel are we staying at?" Mariah asked as we squeezed into a taxi.

"I don't know what it's called, but the driver all ready knows where he's taking us," Ray explained. "Mr. D had everything set for us so we don't really have to worry about a thing. All we have to do is worry about our competition."

I was itching to go see Tyson again so, once we figured out our rooms, I quickly ran up the stairs, found my room, threw my stuff in, and then ran back out passing them all in turn. I just couldn't wait to see him! I ran out of the hotel and effortlessly navigated through the streets. After cutting through a street lined with Cherry Blossoms I turned onto another and ran as fast as I could down the path.

It didn't take me long to reach the home I was looking for. There weren't that many dojos left in this part of the city, especially in the neighborhood. I looked up at the dojo before running out back. Sure enough, Tyson was out there watching his beyblade spin.

"Hey Champion, what's going on?" I called as I walked over to him.

"Crys? Is that you?" He asked as he caught his blade and turned around. I blinked in surprise when he spoke. His voice has gotten deeper from when I last saw him and he's gotten taller too. There was definitely something different about him, a more mature air hanging around perhaps?

"Yup," I responded with a nod. "How are you?" I added as I gave him a hug.

"Great. Wow, I haven't seen you in ages! You heard about the tournament right?" He asked as we walked over to the dish.

"Yeah, that's why I'm here."

"To watch?"

"To blade."

"Oh, you found a team to blade on? That's cool. What team?"

"White Tiger X." Right after I said that he gazed over at me with an unreadable look on his face. It was a mixture of fury and hatred, but I couldn't figure out what fueled it. He has seriously matured since I last saw him, which amazed me because I always thought that he would be his playful self. "Something wrong?"

"Ray left my team to blade with that team," he responded, more to himself than to me.

"You know Ray?"

"_You_ know Ray?"

"Captain of our team," I responded with a nod. "He seemed kinda distant every time we practiced but I didn't get why. I assume now that you're the reason."

"He's just one of the people that want to take me down," Tyson said as he clenched his fists and glared at the ground. "He and Kai and Max all want to take me down. That's why they left."

"It's the rules, Ty," I said as I shook my head.

"They didn't have to abandon me! They could've stayed and fought _with_ me! But they're nothing but..._traitors!_"

I winced at that word. Traitor. It still stung to hear, even when it wasn't directed at me this time. Shuffling my feet against the ground I rubbed my arm. Time to change the subject. "How're you battling, anyway? Don't you need a partner?"

"Yeah…it's this monkey boy who won't leave me alone. He's actually a good blader, though. If only he could keep his mind on the match." A smile finally formed on his face as he turned to me and said, "I wish you stayed. I would love having you on the team."

"I know Ty. But rules are rules. And this is my first tournament, but I don't think I'll blade…"

He blinked. "What do you mean?"

"Only a pair can blade in the whole tournament and its all ready decided that it will be Lee and Ray. Unless one of them gets hurt and we need a sub, I won't be able to blade." Twisting my mouth to the side I added, begrudgingly, "They _are_ the strongest on the team. It makes sense."

"Bummer, I was looking forward to blading against you again."

"Who says we can't do it now?" A slow smile formed on his aface and he moved towards the dish and held up his beyblade.

"Don't hold back."

"I never do," I responded with a grin.

"Ok, launch in 3!"

"2!"

"1!"

"_Stop._"

I faltered and almost launched my blade at the voice. It was calm yet stern and only one person has mastered that. I slowly turned to see Ray walking over. I let out a sigh as I returned my blade to its pouch as Tyson and Ray glared at each other.

"Tyson," was all Ray said.

"Ray," Tyson responded.

"Crystal, what're you doing here?" He asked as he turned his attention towards me.

Is he blind now? "I was going to blade against him but you interrupted us," I responded.

"We have to train."

I motioned to the dish. "What do you call this?"

"Giving away your strategy to an opponent before a tournament!"

I glared at him as I clenched my hands into fists. I only relaxed when Tyson placed a hand on my shoulder.

"Just go," he said in a soft tone. "We'll see each other again. At the tournament."

"All right, Ty," I said without taking my eyes off of Ray. "I'll see you later."

I silently followed Ray away from the dojo and down the street. He flung out his arm to stop me from walking when we were way out of ear shot.

"I don't want you talking to Tyson," he said as he looked at me.

"Excuse me?" I asked as I rose my eyebrows. "You can't tell me what to do, Raymond!"

"I don't want you giving away our strategy!"

"I _won't_! I know better than that!"

"Do you?"

I grabbed onto his arm until he looked at me. "_Trust_ me," I hissed.

He pulled out of my grasp. "We'll see."


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

"Why…would…he…ask…me…something…like…_that_?" I punctuated each word with a punch to the punching bag that hung in front of me. Growling in frustration I aimed a roundhouse kick to the punching bag. It swung back a bit and came towards me. That time I hit it with a spinning hook kick. I used my palm to stop the bag as it swung back to me. I clenched my hand into a fist as I panted a bit. "How dare he!"

"Remind me not to be on the receiving end of your anger," Lee joked a bit, walking over to me. I glanced at him but didn't say anything. "What's up?"

"A preposition," I replied, flexing my fingers which started to ache a bit. I grinned at the confused look on Lee's face. These guys really needed to get out more. There's more to the world than just a few walls of the village. "That's a grammar joke."

"Oh."

I placed my hands on my hips and looked at him. "What do you want, Wong?"

"You're missing practice," he replied, crossing his arms over his chest.

"You mean I'm not put on probation or anything?" I asked sarcastically before turning back to the punching bag and landing a series of punches on it. "Does it matter if I train with you or not? I thought you guys didn't trust me."

"Despite that fact, we're still a team."

"Could've fooled me." I kicked the punching bag again and growled under my breath when he didn't bother to leave. "Look, I know you guys don't want me here and, frankly, I'd rather not be here either. We're stuck with each other, I get that. But I'm not going to practice with people who constantly remind me that I'm not wanted. You guys didn't want me here in the first place, so I'm making it that this tournament goes by quickly for us all and then I can leave you guys so you'll finally be at peace or whatever."

Lee grabbed my wrist on my back swing. "You're right about me not wanting you here. Hell, I'd rather you have not come back at all, but it's in the rules. Yes, we're stuck with each other, but we're on the same team now and our team works like one. _No one_ gets special treatment."

"And yet I'm the only one you keep giving the stink eye to," I pointed out, pulling my hand out of his grasp.

"You expect me to just forget what you did to our village?" he demanded, clenching his hands into fists.

Ok, that was the last straw, I was _not_ holding back on this one. "You guys do not know about anything that happened that night yet you hold a stupid grudge over me for this long? I've been gone for years and you _still_ haven't gotten over it!"

"How can we now that you're back?" Lee spat. "Elder shouldn't have change the rules."

"You're right, he shouldn't have, and I'm pissed as Hell that he did because I have to deal with amateur bladers like you!"

"_Amateur_!?" I could practically see the fire that was in Lee's eyes once the words came out of my mouth. It seriously would've freaked me out if he didn't look so damn ridiculous. So ridiculous, in fact, that I started to laugh, which caused him to seethe in anger even more. "Who're you calling an amateur?"

"_You_, genius," I replied. "You always let your anger get the better of you, that's why you lose so often. It's no wonder you didn't get Driger and the Elder's your own grandfather too." I shook my head slowly, enjoying how angered Lee was getting. "Bringing disgrace to the Wong name like that." I scoffed. "And Mariah, I'm surprised she's even made a name for herself. Doesn't she hear the others' ridicule? I wonder how she got this far by focusing her attention on Ray than on Galux, but hey, if that's the only way she can join the team–"

"_Shut up_!" Lee whipped out his beyblade and launcher. I tensed, reaching for my own. _No one_ catches me off guard like that.

"What's going on here?" Kevin demanded, pushing open the door to the room. He was quickly followed by Mariah and Gary.

"Lee, you're supposed to be at practice," Mariah scolded.

"I _am_ practicing," Lee replied through clenched teeth. "Practicing on getting her to keep her mouth shut."

"Well isn't that the pot calling the kettle black!" I shot back.

"That's it! Go Galeon!" Lee launched his blade.

"Dricen, let's go!"

As soon as our blades landed on the ground they started attacking each other. Sparks shot out between the two of them as they tried to get the upper hand on each other. I watched closely, waiting for a chance to strike. I glanced up a bit and saw that Lee was fuming. _'Great, he's just falling into the same mold as before. This'll be too easy.'_

"C'mon Galeon, knock 'em out," Lee commanded. The black blade backed away from my metallic blue one before charging forward with unbelievable speed.

_'Oh man, I forgot about their speed.'_ "Dricen, evade, quick!"

I didn't give Dricen enough time to move out of the way. Galen clipped him with enough force that Dricen flipped over a few times, but he regained his balance. I sighed with relief as Lee chuckled. I looked up, to glare at him, only to flinch. It was slight, the others didn't see it. Mariah, Gary, and Kevin were cheering Lee on, telling him to take me out and stuff. Something about that got under my skin and it made me itch to make them pay for constantly hounding me about the past.

"C'mon Galeon! Spiral Lightning!" Lee commanded. Purple light shot out of his blade and Galeon appeared with a roar so loud it made my heart jump a bit. _'Hmm, I kinda figured he'd use a White Tiger move. Ah, well, he's still leaving his defense wide open.'_

"Drice', hold off a bit," I commanded.

"What is she doing?" Gary whispered.

"She's only going to get a firm beating this way," Mariah commented. "There's no way she can dodge this attack. She's only signing her death wish."

I grinned. "Don't underestimate me," I warned. _'Wait a bit more, Dricen.'_ I watched as Galeon continued to charge its lightning. Finally it tensed, ready to shoot out the attack. "Now! Ice Cannon! Hurry!"

"What!?" Lee gasped.

I smiled as Dricen came out to play. His bright blue ice tipped fir glinted in the light as it arched its back, in a very cat like manner, and its fur stood straight on end. It The hairs on his back lengthened a bit before shortening and repeating the process, sending ice spears flying at Galeon in a split second. _'Heh, this match is over.' _

That was Lee's downfall; he left himself wide open before Galeon could even release its lightning attack. He always waited a split second, maybe even two, to shoot it out at his opponents. It seriously didn't surprise me that he hadn't picked up on that yet. I watched, smirking in satisfaction, as Galeon was flung into the wall. He returned to his blade which had made an indent into the wall and then fell to the ground lamely.

"I win, _again_." I stressed the word to see if Lee would lash out again. I loved battling him in that state; it made it a lot more fun to defeat him. Course, in a way it was cheating, but it's his own fault he's so damn emotional.

"Oh Lee," Mariah said sadly as Lee picked up his black beyblade. Lee stared at Galen so pitifully that it was starting to get on my nerves. God, the guy can't even lose gracefully!

"Lee," I called. He looked up from his blade, his golden eyes fierce yet his face expressionless. God, I was going to really hate myself for this. "Your leave yourself wide open when you use that attack. Galeon takes too long to release the lightning, you have to find a way to charge up the lighting and be on the move when he releases it so he won't be vulnerable."

Lee grunted. "I don't need your charity."

I bit my tongue. Fine, that's the last time I'm helping any of _you_ losers!

"What is going on in here?" Ray's voice boomed across the room. God, now I need Captain Boy on my ass. We all turned in the direction of the door way and saw Ray standing there, seething in anger. "Lee, I thought I told you to go and get her," he stated.

"I tried!" Lee said desperately. "But she–"

"And you three!" Ray rounded on Mariah, Kevin, and Gary. "You were supposed to bring them back as well, not jump in on the bandwagon."

"But Ray–" Mariah started but he held up his hand to stop her from speaking.

"Why does it seem that you're causing more trouble than I need?" Ray demanded, finally turning to look at me. I held his fierce gaze, not afraid of him and not willing to back down. I stayed silent. "I don't think you understand that you're part of this team now. And as a member on this team I expect you to follow the rules."

I scoffed. "_What_ rules? Listen to everything you say 'cause you think you're right?" I laughed. "No fucking way, Kon. Stop acting like you're my superior 'cause, compared to me, you're nothing but a little kitty." I turned my back to them and made my way over to my spinning blade. I reached down to pick it up but jerked my hand back when Driger came flying past my hand, barley hitting it, and smashed into Dricen. I turned around and glared at Ray who glared back. "You're asking for it, Kon," I snarled.

"Bring it on, if you dare," he shot back.

"No way, kids," the manager of the hotel's weight room said as he came in. "Take it outside. I don't want you damaging the equipment."

I held out my hand and Dricen returned to my palm. "I don't have time for this." I walked past them all and was out the door, almost far out enough that I could escape but a hand clapped down on my shoulder, fingers digging into the bone.

"You say you want respect for the team but you're doing a lousy job returning it," Ray said, forcing me to turn around.

"Why should I respect people who clearly don't respect _me_, who don't even want me _here_?' I questioned.

"Because we need you," he responded. I scoffed. "I'm not joking. You're the third strongest blader on the team. Your skills are far more advanced than Mariah's, Kevin's, or Gary's." _'Ha, you little Pink Princess, bet you won't think of Ray the same once you hear that.'_ "We're going to be going against some powerful bladders out there and if there's the chance that one of us gets knocked out and you don't blade, we're finished. The others haven't seen the power I've seen and they wouldn't know how to stand up to it. _You_ can."

"That little speech is getting you nowhere." I knocked his hand off of my shoulder.

"This one might: battle me, right here, right now. If I win, you're on the team. No more complaining, no more disrespect. If I lose, you can train however you want."

"Are you deaf as well as stupid?" I asked before turning to walk away. I was done with this. "The guy said no fighting; he doesn't want to ruin the equipment."

I felt the small shift in the ground before feeling air rush past me. I quickly stopped, bent at the knees, and did a backflip. Just in time too or else I would've been slammed into the wall by Ray's 'surprise' attack. I landed on the ground easily and lifted my head, barley moving out of the way of his next punch. "What the hell is your problem?" I demanded, grabbing his arm and twisting it, bringing him down to the ground. He swung his leg around, sweeping my feet out from underneath me and I landed hard on my back. _'Ok, if he wants a fight...'_

I braced my palms on the ground behind me and did a lip-up onto my feet. I quickly leaned back to avoid the kick that Ray had aimed at my face. I braced my hands on the floor, brought my legs up, and used enough strength to hook Ray and throw him over me, giving me enough time to get back onto my feet and try to make it to the stairs.

"Driger, go!"

"Shit!" I yelled when I felt Driger fly past my arm, followed by stinging pain.

"Stop running and fight!"

"Fine!" I whipped out my launcher and sent Dricen to attack Driger before turning back to Ray. I ignored the others who were standing at the other end of the hall, watching with transfixed eyes. I blocked his kicks by bringing my arms up to protect my face and he growled in frustration. I charged forward and sent a fist into his stomach. He skidded back a couple of inches but smirked as he grabbed my wrist and twisted it. I dropped to a knee in pain before I used my free had to punch him hard in the stomach again. He let go and I jumped back as he aimed a kick at my head.

"You've gotten stronger."

"Thanks for noticing," I responded with a smirk before it disappeared. I could hear Dricen's roars of pain faintly in the back of my head. "Now let's finish this!"

"Gladly!" he responded as he charged for me. I aimed a roundhouse kick to his head but he punched me hard in the stomach, causing my breath to get knocked out as pain exploded in my stomach and spread to my other limbs. I dropped to my knees, gripping my abs, narrowly missing the kick he aimed for my head once more.

I quickly swung my right leg around, to try and knock him off of his feet, but he was quicker and easily knocked me onto my back. I tried to sit up but he pressed a foot on my collar bone and leaned his weight on me. I grabbed his ankle and tried to pry his foot away but my arms gave way as I let out a breath and squeezed my eyes shut. I heard the faint _tink_ of a stopped blade.

_'Crap.'_

"Practice starts in half an hour."

* * *

The can that I kicked bounced against the ground, metallic clanks filled the air with each bounce. I ran forward and kicked it again, causing the can to fly through the air. It disappeared over a wall and I curled my fingers until my hands formed fists. I wanted to strike something but then that would ruin my chances of blading even more.

"Just because they're boys..." I grumbled and continued stomping down the street.

Ray and Lee were chosen as the two to blade in the tournament. That made a world of sense, but they were the _only_ ones. We didn't even have substitutes for our team, as if those two were going to take our team all the way! Ha! It was an insult to the time I've put in. It was all going to waste. All of that time and energy training with them all, tolerating them all...for nothing.

Mariah was a bit upset as well if her eyes were of any indication but her face remained blank at the news and she actually _cheered_ for her brother. The girl has no backbone, I swear. Gary and Kevin didn't care, they don't fight much on the team anyway but what was the point of me doing so much for nothing?

"This is a load of shit!" I growled.

I went to kick at another can but stopped when I heard a peculiar sound. The sound of a beyblade spinning. But no one was around. My muscles immediately tensed and I stood stock still, looking around to see where the noise was coming from. _There_! I jumped back right as a beyblade launched at my feet, creating a small hole where it had been before. My shoes skidded against the ground as I tried to regain my balance. "Who's there?" I called out.

Laughter was my response. I looked up to see someone standing on the roof of the building closest to me. He wore a cloak and underneath the hood the only thing I could see was a smile.

"If that's the way you want to play..." I released Dricen and watched him attack the other blade, sparks flying at the contact. Dricen reared back and smashed into his opponent. The blade bounced backwards a few times before regaining its balance. Dricen then went on the attack, easily pushing the other one back. "Wait...this is too easy," I mumbled.

"Heh, now you're getting it," the figure laughed. "_Attack_!"

_What!?_

I barely had time to move before the other beyblade jumped over Dricen and launched at me. I managed to twist out of the way, landing on the ground on my hands and feet. I got back to my feet and looked around for Dricen. He was still spinning. Turning around I bent backwards to avoid the other beyblade hitting me again.

"What gives? You never use a beyblade to attack a blader!" I called out.

"We're not playing by those stupid rules!"

This time I was too slow to avoid the attack. His beybade slammed into my stomach, knocking the wind out of me. I doubled over and grabbed my abdomen to try and ease off the pain. It shot through my midsection and wraped around my back, almost as if it were attacking my spine. Falling to my knees I tried to draw in some air, my stomach cramping in pain as it expanded.

"That was just a warning. Next time I won't go easy on you!"

_Urg, that was easy? _I struggled to get back to my feet, wobbling slightly. It suddenly felt as if al of the energy I had before was sapped from my body. I had to grab onto the chain-link fence by my side to stay up. "Drice'..." I let out a sigh of relief when I saw him still spinning on the ground. Holding out my hand he jumped into my palm.

"Hey! Crystal, are you alright?"

"Hmm?" I hummed, turning my head, feeling as if I were moving in slow motion. Kevin's violet eyes were wide with concern. "Me? Oh, yeah. I just...got into a bit of a scuffle that's all."

"You look as if you're in a bad shape," he continued. "Come on, I can take you to Ray."

"_No!_" I protested and shook my head. "Then he'll want to know what happened."

"But he can help. He's good with medicinal stuff."

"I said 'no', Kevin!" I snapped and checked my arms and legs for bruises. "I'm fine." I looked up to where the figure had been before but now it was gone. "I'm fine."


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

_"No! Leave me alone! Leave him alone!"_ _A small girl shouted as she was forced down onto a table. Two men held her arms down as her bitbeast's roars of agony filled her head. She clenched her teeth and squeezed her eyes shut at the pain that was wracking her body. She chocked out sobs as evil laughter filled the room._

_She would never forget that laugh…_

"No!" I gasped as I shot forward, my hand clutching the sheets that were in front of me. My breath came out in gasps as sweat rolled down my face. It took me a couple of seconds to remember where I was but I relaxed a little bit once I saw that I was in my bed at the hotel. More like stuck.

I worked with the team as I promised but I guess I went a little overboard with my sparring and ended up with a sprained wrist. A few days before the tournament too. Now I wasn't allowed to blade for a few weeks and it was killing me. Dricen must be really bored as well. And to top it all off Kevin blabbed about the guy and now Ray was watching me even more like a hawk, if that were possible. Might as well revert my age to five.

I groaned knowing that I wouldn't be able to see the first match of the tournament that was starting today. Well, there was the TV but I didn't want to see it on a screen. I had to be there in person! Glancing to my right I saw a letter lying on the dresser next to my bed. It was written in Chinese characters but I could read it easily.

_Crystal__,_

_Went to the tournament. Lee's extremely nervous but that's not new. We didn't have the heart to wake you and Ray said you needed your rest anyway. If you get hungry there's some food in the refrigerator. See you later, we'll tell you about the battle._

_~Mariah and Kevin_

I smirked, knowing that Kevin had nothing to do with writing the letter but he didn't want to be left out. Everyday Kevin acted more and more like a little brother to me. I missed that little kid. This new development with Mariah was still a bit weird to me. But what else were two girls supposed to do when they weren't able to blade but end up talking about how it wasn't fair?

We did understand that Ray and Lee were the best but we wanted to have a chance to blade as well, especially with how reckless Lee could be. But Ray stood firm and we had to respect his decision. Somehow from that we ended up...bonding, I guess. That's the only word I could use. She wasn't exactly my friend but I didn't exactly hate her either. She was just...there. And she was good to talk to...when she wasn't obsessing over Lee and Ray that is.

I shrugged as I scrunched the paper in my hand, making up my mind. As if I were actually going to stay here! I inhaled sharply when I felt a small twinge of pain around the bandages that were wrapped around my wrist. Once it faded I stood and slipped on my shoes, making sure to grab Dricen before I left the hotel room.

There was no way I was going to miss this battle.

I walked down the street and admired the beautiful day. I stopped at some shops and ate a couple of things as I continued my way towards the Tournament building. I stopped to beybattle a couple of kids (not bringing Dricen out because it wouldn't be fair, obviously) and gave them a couple of tips on how to blade better. I loved helping little kids blade; they were so innocent and cute, especially when they got something right.

"The tournament, Crystal," I muttered to myself as I ran down the street. I entered the building and quickly ran to where the beybattles were being held, to receive a shock. "No!" I gasped once I saw the line-up.

_'Tyson vs. Ray? No way, this can't be happening!_' I thought as I shook my head. _'It's too early for Ray to have to go against Tyson. Way too early._' I watched in shock as Tyson called Ray out. _'Bad move_.' I saw Ray clench his hands into fists while Lee looked helpless. _'Argh, if only I could battle!_

Despite the feeling of anxiousness that rose in me, I left the stadium. I clenched my hands into fists as I walked away from the stadium and the cheers died away. I stopped by the grocery store once more and was walking back to the hotel when I heard a soft _meow_. I looked down and saw a kitten lying on hid side. His face was white along with his paws, the fur that surrounded the white part was black, along with his ears and the tip of his tail, and the rest of the cat was orange.

"Hey kitty," I said as I knelt down and gently rubbed the kitten's side. He meowed softly as he opened his gold eyes and peered at me. "You alright?" I scratched under his chin and he purred softly. I took the carton of milk that was in the bag out and poured it into the bowl I bought. The kitten lifted his head as I pushed the bowl towards him and waited for him to lap it up. I gently petted his side as he drank the milk, purring in satisfaction. "There you go, kitty. I'll see you later," I said as I stood and picked up my bag. I started walking down the street again when I heard another _meow_ behind me. I glanced down and saw the kitten padding next to me.

"Alone once again, I see."

I tensed at the voice and turned around. A boy was standing behind me, his body was covered in a cloak. The only thing that was visible was his smirk. He jumped down from the building he was standing on.

"What do you want from me?" I demanded as I tossed the bag away.

"Your bitbeast," he responded as he pointed his launcher at me.

"You're not getting Dricen!" I growled.

"We'll just see about that," he responded as he launched his beyblade.

"_Let it rip_!" I shouted as I launched my own. Dricen immediately went on the attack as I looked at the boy's face. There was nothing on his face except a confident smirk. I growled in frustration as Dricen continued attacking his beyblade. I gasped once he was slammed back by a powerful attack. "Dricen!" I called out. He flipped over a couple of times but landed back on the base. "Let's take care of this. Dricen, Mecca Claw now!" I commanded.

"Yes," I heard him hiss as light started to come out of my blade and Dricen came out with a roar. "Yes. Finally, I can see the last Sacred Spirit."

_'What's he mean by that?'_ I looked down and cried out once I saw that his beyblade had multiplied. "ARRGH!" I screamed as I gripped my arm as pain shot up it. His beyblade slammed into Dricen from all different sides as pain hit me, one blow after another. I dropped to my knees and grabbed my head as my breath came out in ragged gasps. _'I can do this…I can do this…Focus, Crystal, focus!'_ But it was hard for me to focus with the pain increasing and Dricen's screams echoing in my head, along with the evil laughter.

That laughter…

"_Stop iiiiiit_!" I shouted as I held my head tighter. The pain was just too much, I felt as if I was going to pass out. I tried to get back to my feet but everything started to sway…

"Let it rip!" Three different voices called out as I placed a hand on the ground to keep myself up.

"Hey, are you all right?" Tyson asked as he knelt by my side.

"Yeah," I responded weakly as I blinked, trying to clear my head. "Tyson, he said something about the Sacred Spirits."

"Talk about that later, guys," Ray said as he faced the other boy.

"Yeah, we have a beybattle to finish," a blond boy agreed as he also faced the other boy. I recognized Max easily. (Thought I lived under a rock, huh?). "Draciel! Gravity Control!"

"Driger! Gatling Claw!"

"Dragoon! Galaxy Storm!"

I squeezed my eyes shut at the bright light that came from the beyblades once they hit each other. I slowly opened my eyes and saw that Draciel, Dragoon, and Driger were still spinning and the other blade had stopped. Dricen was spinning, and wobbling occasionally, by Dragoon. I sighed with relief and held out my hand to catch my blade as the other boy angrily picked his up.

"Those Sacred Spirits will be mine!" he vowed before he disappeared.

"No one will touch Dricen," I growled as I staggered to my feet, Tyson stayed by my side to make sure I didn't fall over. "Not while I'm still alive."

"What're you doing out here?" Ray asked as Driger returned to his hand. "I thought I told you to stay in bed. You need your rest. I knew this would happen."

"What do you mean Ray?" Max asked as he looked over at his golden-eyed friend.

"Someone is definitely after her," Ray responded. "It would explain why she's been attacked in the past four days." He turned to me and added, "I don't want you out by yourself anymore."

"I'm not a kid, Ray!" I spat as I glared at him. "I can take care of myself!"

"So then why is it that I always have to come and save you?" He shot back as he also glared.

"I never asked for your help! You just gave it!"

"Heyyyy!" Mariah called as she and the rest of the White Tigers ran up. "What's going on out here? Ray, we were looking all over for you." She looked over at me and gasped.

"Crystal? What happened, are you ok?" Kevin asked as he lightly touched a bruise that was forming on my arm.

"It's all good, Kevin," I responded as I forced a smile. "Just a small bruise. I'll live."

"Not if you keep going against that guy in beybattles," Ray insisted as I turned my glare back to him. "Did you even notice what he did to you?"

"Whoa? Did his Bitbeast do that to you?" Max asked as he looked at the scratches that littered my arms and face. "Was it his beyblade? Or the air? Because that happened to Ray once. Brian from the Blitzkrieg Boys used the air as a weapon and it sent Ray to the hospital."

"No, his blade or Bitbeast didn't touch me," I responded as I gripped Dricen tighter. I looked around before spotting the kitten. He was huddled near an alley way in fear. I picked him up and gently petted his head as he trembled slightly. "Are you done interrogating me? Because I have things to do."

"Want company?" Mariah asked as I walked by her. I really wanted to say no, but then I thought twice and figured it would be better to have someone to talk to.

"Yeah," I mumbled as I angrily walked down the street, Mariah falling into step with me.

"Since when did they become…friends?" I heard Tyson ask. Their voices faded quickly as my legs took me, on autopilot, to the river. The breeze made the trees sway gently and lightly blue my bangs across my face. I settled down near the river edge and took off my shoes before slipping my feet into the water.

"Where'd you find the kitty?' Mariah asked as the kitten jumped from my arms and walked over to her.

"He found me, actually," I responded as I leaned back on my elbows and let the current of the river gently push my feet. "I was bored at the hotel so I decided to go for another grocery run. He was lying in an alley way and I gave him milk and then he started following me when that guy attacked."

"What does he want?" Mariah questioned as she sat down next to me.

"The Sacred Spirits apparently. What I don't understand is why they want Dricen and what he has anything to do with the Sacred Spirits." I shook my head and clenched my hands into fists.

"I guess we'll have to wait," Mariah said with a shrug as she scratched the kitten under his chin.

"Hey Mariah, are you arranged to be married?" I asked suddenly as I focused on the water.

"Yeah," she responded. "You should be too."

"Who's your fiancée so to speak?" I asked as I watched a log float down the river. I quickly pulled out my beyblade and launched it at the log. My blade ran all the way up the log before returning to my hand. I smiled triumphantly once the log split in half and continued floating down the river.

"A boy named Ryu," she said as she launched her own beyblade and watched Galux jump on the stepping stones. "He wasn't at the village when you got there because he was on a journey looking at ancient ruins."

"How do you stand being arranged to be married?" I questioned as I launched Dricen once more and he followed Galux back and forth on the stepping stones.

"I met him and he's really nice. You see, our parents set us up with people who they think will help us through life."

"So…am I arranged to be married too?" I asked as I watched Dricen spin dangerously close to the water but he moved out of the way. "Well, that makes my day a hell of a lot better. First Ray's an uptight jerk and now I know that it's definite that I all ready have a husband…so to speak."

"Ray's just worried about you," Mariah said as she shook her head. "We all are."

"Would you call it worried when he follows you around everywhere, or call it stalking?" I asked as I looked at her. She laughed a little as Galux stopped in the middle of a stepping stone and slammed into Dricen. He bounced back onto another stepping stone before charging forward and hitting Galux back.

"He does that to the rest of us on occasion. He's making sure that the team is in tip top shape so we can take anyone on. He always puts the team before himself, always has always will." She paused and added, "But enough about that. Battle me, right here, right now."

"Umm, why?" I questioned as I watched out beyblades battle.

"For two reasons. 1) We won't be able to blade at all during the Tag Team Tournament so we should keep our skills up. And 2) Just in case that guy comes and attacks you again. We need to make sure you're ready."

"Bring it on Wong, just don't hold back," I responded with a smirk as Dricen pushed Galux back.

"As long as you don't hold back, I won't hold back, Ming," she responded with a confident smile.

* * *

**A/N: Please R&R, I want to know what you think about this story. Constructive criticism is accepted.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

_"Please, I can't take this anymore," a little girl gasped as she panted heavily. Her arms trembled as she tried to get back onto her feet. She cried out in pain when she felt the fire-like whip on her back once more. She fell onto her stomach and struggled to get back up but was kicked hard in the side. "Please, stop this."_

_"I won't stop until you toughen up," his sinister voice responded. "Now, do it again." The small girl let out a scream as many beyblades were launched at her and connected with her skin. Cuts formed on her arms, legs, and face as she tried to get away from the attacking beyblades. "This is what you deserve," he kept saying._

_No one deserves this hell…_

"Geeze," I muttered, shaking my head a bit, clutching my blankets in my hands. "Anymore of those dreams and I'll go crazy." I wiped the sweat off of my face with the back of my hand and let out a breath.

This was the fourth time these dreams got to me. I don't know why they are suddenly coming up but it was really starting to get on my nerves. I shook my head again, trying to take away the images that filled my brain.

I got out of bed, careful not to wake Mei, and tiptoed out of the hut. I took in a deep breath of air and smiled at the familiarity of the place. During the tournament I couldn't wait to get back to White Tiger Hills (I know, it surprised me too). But I really did end up missing the place, surprisingly. I missed the community-like atmosphere and the simplicity of it all. Don't get me wrong, I also really like the hustle and bustle of the city, but simplicity was my way of living. I just didn't think I would ever feel like I belonged again.

I was so pulled into my thoughts that I didn't notice I had walked all the way to the waterfall. The gentle mist dampened my face as the falls thundered over the edge of the cliff. I missed this place the most.

Glancing around I made sure no one was near before shedding my clothes and stepping into the cool water to bathe. Let me tell ya, there's nothing like bating under a water fall. A shower doesn't even compare to it. You get cleaner, I'm telling you

The Tournament was only a few weeks ago but I can still remember every beybattle as if they all happened yesterday. Just by watching the battles I got a good insight on the different blading styles which blew me away. I didn't know there were that many different types of blading. Unfortunately the only two players in the game were Lee and Ray and more than half of the time Lee second guessed himself and almost cost us our matches. I should've been blading with Ray, I could've done a lot better than Lee could, probably even helped move us to the finals at least but no. Apparently whatever Ray says we have to go along with so I sat on the bench every single dang time. It made me wonder why I even stuck around for the damn tournament. Once again Tyson ended up on top, which wasn't surprising but they had a few set backs along the way. They even called out Lee and Ray to a two-on-two battle, which they lost horribly but they ended up coming back in the end and Tyson beat Kai. I'll bet Kai was steamed but, as always, Kai seemed to take it well. I swear I even saw him smile at Tyson.

I was proud of him, but I was even more proud of my team, I guess. Ray and Lee fought hard in every battle and did the best they could. I wasn't attacked by that mysterious boy for the rest of the tournament, which I was happy about, but Mariah and I have been training together to make sure I was ready when he came to attack again. I guess we're getting close. We are the only two girls on the team and the boys can be so obnoxiously boyish sometimes. It's only natural for us to bond over something.

I glanced up at the sky to check what time it was before deciding to head back. I decided to take the long way back to the village to enjoy more time by myself. Unfortunately my walk back was filled with googly-eyed couples taking advantage of the beautiful morning.

"What's wrong with you?" Kevin asked as soon as I set foot in the village. He must've seen the look on my face. If it were me I wouldn't hesitate to figure out what caused a face as grotesque as mine.

"Too much love," I replied, shaking my head. "How you all can deal with being arranged to be married is beyond me. I don't know how you all can go through with it."

"Good thing I'm still little," Kevin said with a chuckle. "I won't have to worry about it for a while. As for you…well, you might as well kiss your life goodbye."

"Huh?" I blinked. "What do you mean?"

"Well, you're fifteen right? Almost sixteen?" I nodded and he continued. "The marriages, despite you being allowed to marry at thirteen, are commonly performed in the seventeenth year of the girl so…your days are numbered."

"Kevin, don't scare her," Mariah commented, clamping her hand down hard on his shoulder causing him to cry out in pain. "He doesn't understand everything. You can get married as soon as you're thirteen however most women of the village get married around seventeen because signifies that you're old enough to be married and make your own decisions."

"Is that so?" I asked, bending at the waist and glaring down at Kevin who chuckled nervously. "You have five seconds before I chase you down. One…two…" He gulped, broke free of Mariah's grasp, and ran off screaming at the top of his lungs. "The boy's too gullible for his own good," I muttered. "What's up?" I asked, turning to Mariah.

"I was just on my way to the city for some food. Do you want to come?" She questioned.

"No thanks, I'll hang out here, maybe get some extra fishing in. But we can practice when you get back."

"All right, see you."

I gave a little wave and continued on my way only to be stopped by one of the elder woman telling me that Elder wanted to see me. I had to admit that I was freaked out, the Elder was a smart man and everyone in the village followed his word.

"You wanted to see me, Elder?" I muttered as I knelt and clasped my hands on my lap.

"Yes, I have heard a lot from your team, Crystal," Elder replied, smiling a little bit. "Good things. Each member of the White Tiger X team has come to me to tell me how you have changed and for the better."

"Um, thank you Elder," I said slowly, studying his face.

"Also I have heard from the village that you've done your share of the work and then some." He chuckled. "You've even helped a few of the children with their own beyblading skills and have watched then whenever the women needed some help."

"Well, that part wasn't easy," I said. "Getting them to trust me, I mean."

"I don't doubt that in the slightest," Elder said with a chuckle. "After hearing what they have to say I have come to a decision about your banishment." I held my breath as I waited for him to continue with his sentence. It felt like time stood still, I could hear my heart pounding in my ears. "Because of all of this I have come to the decision that you are allowed back into the village."

I blinked. "I was under the impression that I was _already_ allowed back in the village since you let me stay here."

Elder laughed out loud. "Crystal, what I mean to say is that your banishment has been lifted."

I blinked again. "Are you serious?" He nodded. "Th-thank you so much, Elder! I won't let you regret your decision, I promise."

Elder stood and I stood with him. He held out his arms and said, "Welcome home, young one." I eagerly accepted his hug and let out the breath I didn't notice I was holding. "White Tiger Hills was a different place without you here," he said as he held me at arm's length. "We must move on from the past and focus on the future."

"Yes, Elder." I nodded. "I have to admit, I actually missed this place."

"You were never separated from it, not as long as you have Dricen with you."

I grinned and pulled out of his grasp, bowing. "Thank you, Elder." I gave him a wave and turned to leave the hut. As soon as I stepped out of it I grinned and ran back towards my own place to see if Mei was still there. I found her sitting in the chair in front of our place, rocking slowly as she kept her eyes on her sewing needles. "Mei!" I shouted once I saw my roommate. She looked up from her sewing and smiled as she waved.

"Heard you had a word with Elder," Mei commented.

I stopped and stared at her. "How'd you know that so fast?"

"Everyone's talking about it," she replied. Surprise, surprise. "You randomly coming back to beyblade for us? Don't think you're going to get out of the spotlight too soon. People are still waiting for you to mess up."

I rolled my eyes. "Thanks for the vote of confidence, Mei."

"You know I have your back, girl," she said with a laugh. "So what's up?"

"I just got back from talking to Elder."

"Annnnnd?" She stressed, never taking her eyes off of me.

"I'm back in," I replied, my heart swelling at the words that came out of my mouth. "I'm not banished or on probation anymore. I'm officially a part of White Tiger Hills again."

"That's so great, Crys! I'm so happy for you!" She said, her eyes shining.

"What's the sewing for?" I asked.

She shrugged. "I don't have much else to do here today. My new job doesn't start until next week."

"Speaking of which, have you seen Ray? I need to talk to him about something."

"Last I saw he was looking for some paper," she responded as she nodded towards a random hut. "What do you need to talk to him about?"

"It can wait; I want to tell you about the tournament."

"I'm all ears," she responded, excitement was in her eyes as she continued sewing while she listened to me recap the whole tournament. She was shocked to hear some of the turnouts as was I, even though I saw it first hand. I told her about how Tyson ended up winning the tournament again and how he, Max, and Ray kept the mysterious boy from hurting me even more than I all ready was hurt. I also told her a bit about some information I was able to receive while on bed rest about my predicament. "So some people just randomly came in the middle of the night looking for your parents? And _that's_ the reason that you were banished and everyone blamed you?"

"It's understandable as to why they blamed me, I mean my parents were the cause of it, though I _still_ don't know why," I responded. "But hey, if it weren't for them, I wouldn't be able to beyblade and–"

"Have your freedom," Mei interrupted with a laugh as if reading my mind.

"Yeah," I agreed. I picked at the hem of my shirt and she began to hum. Tossing a few questions around in my mind I finally settled on one to ask her. I was sure that this one would be a safe one. "Do you like your life, Mei?" I asked suddenly.

"It's a lot simpler than yours, that is all I'm going to say," she responded. We both started laughing as Ray walked by. He glanced over at us, smiled a little, and continued on his way. I turned back to Mei to say something to her but stopped when I saw the smile on her face; it creeped me out.

"What?" I asked her.

"Nothin'," she responded with a smile and a shrug.

"Uh-huh," I said slowy as I stood and dusted dirt off of my shorts. "I'll catch you later, all right Mei?"

"See you, girl," she said as she waved before going back to sewing. I ran to catch up to Ray who gave me a look once I fell into step with him. "Whatcha doin'?" I asked him.

"I'm going to write Tyson a letter," he responded. "I want to see how he's doing and what's going on over in Japan." He studied my face and asked, "Something you want to talk about?"

"Yes, actually, but I'll wait for you to finish your letter," I responded as we entered his hut. I sat down on the bed and watched as he placed the piece of paper on a box. He pulled off his gloves before dipping his brush into a case of ink that was by the paper. He made a face before he started to write, muttering his letter under his breath.

"Dear Tyson, just want to say congratulations. Too bad we didn't wind up facing each other in the finals; that would've been wicked. Everyone here at White Tiger X Base Camp is all ready practicing for next year's finals, so you better watch out. You and the gang should really come visit one day." He paused as a yellow butterfly landed on his brush. He smiled at it as he said, "White Tiger Hills is a truly awesome place."

I couldn't help but smile at the expression on his face and the statement. What he said was true: White Tiger Hills really _was_ an awesome place. It was really peaceful and it would be perfect for people to go to for a little bit of relaxation and to see what living here was really like. I didn't think I'd ever say _that_ too soon.

"You all right?" I looked up to see that Ray was twisted so he was looking at me. "What'd you want to talk about?"

"The Scared Spirits," I responded after a couple of seconds of silence.

"What about them?" He asked as his eyebrows knitted together in confusion.

"There should only be four," I continued. "Dragoon, Draciel, Driger, and Dranzer are the four Sacred Spirits, right?"

"Yes, that's right," ha greed with a nod.

"That boy, who I was fighting against, said that Dricen was the last of the Sacred Spirits. There should only be four, not five. Unless there was a part of the legend that was forgotten."

"That could be true," he said as he rubbed his chin. "But in all of the books I have read there were only four Sacred Spirits. Those books can't all be wrong, can they?"

"They may not be wrong," I said slowly, "But they could be trying to hide something about Dricen and the rest of the Sacred Spirits."

"You could be right. But there's not much we can do," Ray pointed out. "I mean, we can't go looking for information if no books _have_ the information."

He had a point. I lifted my head when I heard footsteps and then saw the others at the door.

"What's up guys?" Ray asked before looking at the food in Mariah's hands. "Dinner all ready?"

* * *

"So there's a guy going around White Tiger Hills and showing off?" Ray questioned.

"Mhm, that sweetie saved my favorite bandana, guys," Mariah responded as she tugged on the bandana, which made her look like she had cat ears might I add.

I scoffed. "How can you call a stranger a 'sweetie'?" I questioned as I made a face. She just shrugged and smiled as she continued eating. "Do you think he's a threat?" I asked the question I could tell was on Ray's mind.

"He saved a kitten from falling out of a tree," Kevin responded. "If that was him being threatening then I don't think we have anything worry about."

We all laughed at his statement and we continued eating. I couldn't shake the feeling that we were being watched so I searched the area without drawing attention to myself or making the others worry. My eyes narrowed when I saw a figure standing on top of the water fall that was near us but, when I blinked, it was gone.

We trained for a while and even had a beyblade race to get to the top of a mountain where the best fruit was growing. Dricen got in second place and Driger was almost to the top when he fell back down. That's when we met the mysterious boy. His name is Mystel and he taunted us by making it seem like the White Tigers were stupid because we couldn't figure out a way to get our beyblades to the top of the mountain.

I could tell that he was getting Ray and Lee wound up because of the looks of hatred they were shooting at him. Especially when Mystel started flirting with Mariah. Lee chased after the guy, wanting to throttle him, but Mystel stayed out of Lee's reach by doing some acrobatic stuff. Mariah was impressed, which doesn't surprise me, but I wasn't. The guy was all talk.

I kept a close eye on him the rest of the day. I didn't see him for a while until Lee, Ray, and I tried to figure out how he got the cliff fruit down later, well into the night. That's when he showed up and showed us how he got it, by showing off _obviously_. Lee got so frustrated he challenged Mystel to a battle. I have to say, I was impressed by his skills, Mystel's I mean. He beat Lee and then challenged Ray, which ended in a tie because Ray found out about Mystel's weak point.

That's when things got really interesting.

"Maybe we'll meet again at the World Championships next year," Ray said once the battle was over. Lee nodded his agreement but I just glared at Mystel. _'Something's not right about him.'_

"The World Championships?" Mystel repeated. He chuckled a little before continuing. "Please tell me you guys don't care about the World Championships." Ray, Lee, and I exchanged blank looks of confusion. "Aww. There are plenty of other things in the world that mean a whole lot more than the World Championships. Like the new Beyblade Association that just started up."

"What're you talking about?" I demanded as I took a threatening step forward.

"New Association?" Ray repeated.

"Mhm," Mystel confirmed. "It's called BEGA and it took over the BBA."

Ray and I burst out laughing. There was no way something as stupid as BEGA could take over the BBA. No way. That's impossible

"That's impossible Mystel," Ray voiced my thoughts.

"I'm a member," Mystel added. "But we're always looking around for new recruits." I flinched at the word 'recruits' and clenched my hands into fists. "You guys should think about joining, if you ever want to blade in a tournament again, or the finals."

"I don't understand," I said as I shook my head. "Is this another one of your tricks, Mystel?"

"Well, if you're not going to believe me, ask Tyson: our newest member," Mystel said with a hint of pride in his voice. No, he did _not._

"What!" I hissed.

"Did you say…? Tyson would never be part of a group that's not the BBA!" Ray said in a dangerous tone.

"Never! No way!" Lee agreed.

"I didn't think so." Ray forced a smile. "Tyson would've told me about joining a new group." He started laughing at the situation, but I didn't think it was so funny.

"Tyson!" I growled under my breath.

* * *

"So…this Mystel guy," Mei started, moving to get out of the way of people on the crowded streets. Mei and I had decided to go into the city to gather some fabrics for the women to sew more clothes for the children that would arrive soon. The city was pretty crowded during the day but at night, such as now, it was ridiculous.

"Don't even, Mei, don't even," I said as I shifted the basket that was pressed against my hip and avoided hitting a little kid that ran by me. "The guy's been here two days too long."

"He's kind of cute," she admitted.

"You're engaged, remember?" I said, looking at her.

"You are too," she pointed out. I rolled my eyes while she smiled and nudged my shoulder. "I'm just saying he's a looker. But why would he come here of all places all of a sudden? It doesn't make sense."

"I was thinking the same thing to be honest," I sighed. "It doesn't feel right to me. We never have outsiders like that."

"Well…" she glanced at me out of the corner of her eye.

"Watch it," I said in a fake warning tone as I grinned.

"But I can't believe the nerve he has to just come in here and think he can put you guys on the BEGA team," she continued, seriously. "For as long as I can remember we've supported the BBA. I wonder why Mr. Dickinson would just up and quit like this."

"I don't think he quit at all, he loved his job," I replied as we began our walk back home. "I think he was forced out of his position."

"By a greater power?" Mei asked. I nodded. "But who would want to take Mr. Dickinson away?"

"Voltaire maybe," I replied, shrugging. "Gideon again? Dr. K? Any of those quacks could do it if they really put their minds to it and really tried. Unfortunately they must've known what buttons to push otherwise Mr. Dickinson wouldn't have stepped down that easily."

"You're talking like you want to solve the case," Mei noted.

"I would like to go back for a bit, just to hear what he has to say, he must have an explanation as to why all this is happening so suddenly," I said.

"You're talking like you've all ready made up your mind about going."

"You know me, I can never stay I one place for too long."

"Yet you always seem to find your way back here for some reason."

We finally made it back to the village in time for Mariah find us and tell us that Mystel was planning on leaving later tonight. We had one last dinner together than gathered by the entrance of the village to see Mystel off. I was happy to see Mystel go. He had this arrogant air to him that bothered the hell out of me. I don't know why Mei and Mariah fell for him. But the only thing that bothered me more than him was what he said about Tyson and BEGA. I didn't want to believe that it was true, but I wouldn't be able to know the truth if I didn't go back.

"Hold on Mystel, I'm coming with you," I said suddenly, which caused the rest of the White Tigers to look over at me in shock.

"What? But Crystal–" Kevin started.

"I have to see if he's telling the truth or not," I interrupted him. "I mean, I don't think he's lying, but I have to know if Tyson went with BEGA."

"I agree," Ray said with a nod. "I'm coming too."

"But Ray," Mariah said softly as her golden eyes shimmered.

"Tyson wouldn't do this to us. And I have to find out more about this BEGA Association," Ray continued as he picked up his bag and slung it over his back.

"You all ready had your things packed?" I questioned.

"You did too," he noted.

"Great minds think alike I guess."

He nodded and turned to the others."We'll be back as soon as we can."

"Stay safe," Lee said as the rest of them began to wave and we walked down the path.

"Bye guys!" Mariah called after us. "Goodbye, Mystel!"

"We'll miss you!" Gary added.

"Say hi to Tyson for us!" Kevin yelled. Ray, Mystel, and I waved back before turning our attention back to the path that would leads us to the city. I held onto Dricen before looking up and shielding my eyes from the setting sun.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine**

"Tyson wouldn't join BEGA. He too loyal to the BBA," Ray said as he shook his head. He, Mystel, and I were on a flight on our way to Japan. I remained silent as Mystel smiled a small sad smile.

"Boris told us himself that Tyson decided to join BEGA to go pro," Mystel said before looking out the window.

"Boris!" I cried out in shock. "_He's_ behind all of this? Ooh, once I get my hands on him he's going to be a blubbering pile of–"

"Hold your tongue," Ray interrupted me as he shot me a firm look. "What does Boris have anything to do with this?"

"Well, he's the chairman of BEGA. He's the one who took over Mr. Dickenson's job. He oversaw the demolition of the BBA building and the construction of the BEGA building. He is the future of the Beyblading world."

"Listen here, you little cretin. Boris is a–" I started but Ray, once again, interrupted me.

"Mystel, do you know anything about what Boris did in the past?" Ray asked him. "He recruited beybladers and used them as an army to take over the world and turn beyblading into a way to fight, not to be enjoyed as a sport."

"He told us all of that," Mystel said after a couple of seconds of hesitation. "He's changed, Ray."

"Yeah? We'll just see about that," I said as I crossed my arms and sunk in my chair. _'There is no fucking way that Boris could've changed after everything he's done. He's just too evil to have changed after all of those years. He's up to no good, I know that for sure. I just wish I knew what he was planning. Either way, I'm going to be the one to take him down!'_

The rest of the flight went by quickly and I was glad to get away from Mystel for a while. I left Ray and Mystel without saying anything and ran all the way to the Granger dojo, hoping that he was still there. I growled in frustration when I saw that he wasn't there and asked Grandpa Granger where he was.

The only bad thing about talking to Grandpa Granger was the fact that he practically killed me when I entered the dojo and the fact that he spoke in riddles. Eventually I figured out where he was: at the Stadium getting ready to watch Tala go against a guy named Garland.

_'Tala couldn't have fallen for Boris's tricks either. Maybe that's why he's going against that Garland guy,'_ I thought as I ran dwon the street, shoving people out of my way to get to the Stadium. I ran into the building, ignoring the people who were shouting at me. I entered the Stadium and saw that Tala and the Garland guy were all ready battling each other. I looked around and saw Tyson with Max, Chief, Hilary, and that Daichi guy.

"TYSON!" I shouted as I ran down the stairs. He looked over at me and smiled as I jumped over the ledge of the section of stairs I was in. I landed on my feet before rushing over to him. "What is your problem? Did you seriously join BEGA?"

"Of course I didn't!" He responded, shocked at my questions. "I'm here to stop Boris from creating BEGA."

"Isn't that kind of late? I mean, that huge building is up all ready," I pointed out, trying to hide my smile as he gave me a look. "Sorry. I'm with you on this one, man. Boris has to be stopped."

"Take a look, Crystal," Max said as he pointed at the battle. I turned and saw Tala was resting on one knee, panting heavily and glaring at Garland. "Garland is part of BEGA too. Tala's one of the best beybladers and Garland is beating him. Garland represents BEGA. If Tala doesn't pull through, the people of BBA will start to follow BEGA."

"But that doesn't mean we can't do anything about it!" I snapped before I took off again. _'I have to figure out where Boris is.'_ I ran around the Stadium looking for a set of staircase that would lead to his box. I finally found it and rushed up the stairs as fast as I could go. I flung open the door and fought against myself to just grab Boris and beat the shit out of him.

"Ahhh, Crystalline, it's so good to see you again," he said with a smile as he turned around and looked at me.

"You have to stop this, Boris! No one will fall for your plan!" I growled as I clenched my hands into fists and fought to punch him.

"I don't know what you're talking about," he said as he turned around fully. "I'm just trying to improve the beyblading sport. And now that Mr. Dickenson is out of the way, I can do that."

"What did you do to Mr. Dickenson?" I demanded as my glare, if possible, hardened.

"I didn't hurt him, if that's what you're thinking. I've changed."

"I doubt it!" I spat before turning on my heel and stomping out of the room. I quickly raced back down to where Tyson was to check out the rest of the match. Tala wasn't doing well, he was panting heavily and he had many scratches on his face. I watched in horror as Garland, after an intense battle, defeated Tala. Tala wasn't moving and he was sent to the hospital.

That alone sent Tyson over the edge.

He challenged Boris to a battle with his best BEGA bladers to prove that the Beyblading world was fine before Boris returned. Boris than said that he would use his best 5 bladers against Tyson's best 5 bladers in what he called a Justice 5 tournament. Max, Daichi, and Ray were definitely on Tyson's side. I was too, although I didn't know if I he thought I was strong enough to be on his team. I could tell that he was holding his last spot for Kai, although that lousy snake-in-the-grass went over to BEGA's team.

"Why did Kai do that?" Hilary demanded as we walked out of the stadium. "Can't he see that Boris is up to no good again? Why would he put that all aside and join BEGA?"

"Who knows the intentions behind Kai's actions," Ray said as he glared at the sidewalk. "All that matters is we have to train so we can beat the BEGA team, with or without Kai!"

I didn't know much about Kai, only that he once lived in the Abbey and he hated Boris about as much as I did, if that was possible. I looked around and saw the anger that is in Tyson's, Ray's, and Max's eyes but I knew better than to question them about it.

"So Chief, how's school going for you?" I asked once we reached the Granger dojo and I sat on the porch that was in the backyard.

"It's ok. Nothing's really challenging to me," he responded as he opened his laptop. "Hey Crystal, do you mind launching Dricen for me? I haven't been able to update his stats on my computer in a while."

"No problem," I said as I stood and stretched. I quickly attached Dricen to my launcher and launched him into the dish that was in the backyard.

"Wow, you really improved since the last time I saw you blade," he said as he started typing away on his laptop.

"Hey, I don't just sit around all day," I said as I smiled a little. "I wouldn't let my training go to waste, you know."

"You ready for our battle now?" Tyson asked as he pulled out his launcher. I held up my hand and Dricen flew back into it as I walked over to the dish.

"You know I can't back down from a challenge," I responded as I reattached Dricen to my launcher. "Bring it on, Granger."

"This will be interesting," Max said as he and Ray leaned against the wall of the dojo with their arms crossed, expectant looks on their faces.

"Why? Girls can't possibly blade as well as guys can," Daichi commented.

"What'd you just say?" I demanded as I loomed over Daichi. When he didn't answer I grabbed his collar and shook him as I spat, "Don't you _ever_ say that about girls _ever_ again! We can blade _just_ as well as guys can, if not _better_! _UNDERSTAND?_"

"Crys, don't kill him. We need him for our team," Tyson said as he laughed.

"Unfortunately," I added as I walked back ot the dish. "Ok, let's get this over with."

"Ok. In 3!"

"2!"

"1!"

"LET IT RIP!"

"Let's go Dragoon!" Tyson called as his white beyblade spun towards Dricen.

"Go get him, Dricen!" I called as my metallic blue beyblade spun towards Dragoon. _'Dragoon uses the element of wind for his attacks. I can use that to my advantage and freeze Dragoon in his own tornado. I just have to wait for the right moment.' _I watched closely as Dricen and Dragoon battled it out, looking for an opening, but Dragoon attacked too much for me to see one of his weak spots, if he had any.

"Dragoon! Galaxy Tornado!" Tyson commanded after the blue dragon narrowly missed one of Dricen's blows. Wind started to spin around his blade as I called Dricen back, to make sure he avoided being sucked in. _'Sucked in…'_

"Dricen!" I called out. "Icy Blizzard!"

"Oh no! Dragoon!" Tyson cried out as I smirked once he caught on. The ice shards that were flying out of Dricen's blade were being sucked into the tornado that Dragoon created and slammed into him repeatedly. "Dragoon, try and fight it!"

"Dricen, go! Mecca Claw while he's still being hit!" I ordered as Dicer charged forward.

"Don't think I'm finished that easily!" Tyson said with a smirk. "Dragoon, jump!"

"What!" I cried out in shock as Dragoon jumped into the air. The suction of the tornado made Dricen go up into the air with him. "Oh no! Dricen, get out of there!" I stood frozen as I heard Dricen's roars of agony from being repeatedly slammed by Dragoon, who was riding the tornado.

"This match is mine!" Tyson declared.

"Don't count your chickens before they've hatched!" I shot back. "Dricen, let's try that new attack we've been practicing." Dricen made his way back down to the bottom of the tornado as I smiled in anticipation. Once he reached the bottom of the dish he slowly faded into the colors of the dish. Judging by the gasp that escaped Tyson's mouth he had no clue where Dricen was. I didn't have a clue either, but I didn't have to look at him to know where he was. "Dricen, Crystallized Roaring Tiger Crush!"

I smiled in satisfaction when I heard the sound of a beyblade grinding against another one. The battle would be over soon, I knew that for sure. And it looks like I'm going to be the winner…

"Heh heh, don't think you can beat me that easily!" Tyson said as he chuckled a little.

Or not.

"Dragoon!"

"No!" I cried out as I felt something graze my cheek. I stared hopelessly down at the dish and saw that Dragoon was the only blade spinning. I turned around and saw Dricen lodged into a tree trunk. "Wow Tyson, I'm impressed," I said as I pulled Dricen out of the tree and looked the blade over.

"Same here, you really gave Dragoon a beating," he responded as he looked at his blade with a frown on his face. I followed his lead and looked at my own, closely. I felt my heart sink when I saw how bad the damage was. "Chief, can you fix this?" He asked as he held the beyblade out to Kenny.

"Wow!" He exclaimed once he saw the states our beyblades were in.

"What's wrong, Chief?" Ray asked as he and Max walked over.

"They really put some damage on their beyblades," Kenny explained. "And, unfortunately, I don't have enough parts to fix it. And you need a BEGA membership card to get more parts."

"So Boris is out to make sure we don't have enough equipment to fix our beyblades," Max said as his eyebrows knitted together. "So that's how he's playing his game."

"Look's like it Maxie," Tyson responded.

"And we're on the loosing side," I added.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten**

"Any luck?" I asked Hilary later that evening. We all went around trying to find beyblade shops that would let us buy some equipment. But so far all I've seen were people asking me to show them BEGA ID cards so I was able to buy the parts.

"No. I had to have a BEGA card to get parts," she said with a sigh as she dropped down to a sitting position.

"Boris has planned this well, I have to admit," I said as I shook my head. "What can we do now?"

"Why not just make our own beyblades?" Max suggested.

"Can we do that?" Ray asked as he looked over at Kenny.

"I guess we can," Kenny said slowly. "But it would take a lot of time on my part. We would also have to find people who would donate the parts."

"Maxie, does your father have any extra parts we can use?" Tyson asked as he turned to look at the blond haired boy.

"I think so," Max said hesitantly. "Some of it we gave away to kids who were beginners but I'm pretty sure we still have some left over."

"What can we do in the meantime?" Ray asked as he gave Kenny a hard look.

"The only thing we can do is train with what we have to get stronger," he said with a sigh. "I'll see if there is anyway I can fix your beyblades in the meantime." He held out his hand and I hesitantly reached into my pocket and pulled out Dricer. I was never away from him and parting with him, even to get him fixed, felt weird and wrong. I handed him over before leaving the room and shutting the door behind me. I walked down the street and towards the woods; it was quiet and peaceful so it was the best place for me to think things through. I stopped walking and let my eyes shift as I listened closely.

"Hiyah!" I shouted as I spun around on the spot and brought my foot up, connecting it with someone's chest. The person went flying back but landed on their feet, smirking at me.

"You again!" I spat. "Who are you? What do you want?" I demanded as I got into a fighting position.

"My name is Kaoru and I'm making sure you don't stand in Master's way," he responded as he took a step towards me.

"You're working for Boris? Why doesn't that surprise me?" I asked sarcastically as I cracked my knuckles.

"The surprises keep on coming, sweetheart, because I don't work for Boris," he responded before charging at me. I was ready though and managed to jump into the air and out of the way. I came back down but he dodged my attack. I was about to turn around and attack him when his foot connected with my cheek and sent me spinning to the ground. "I thought you were stronger than this," he said in a mocking tone as he walked over to my side. Before I could do anything he swiftly brought back his foot and kicked me hard in the side.

_'He's right. I am stronger than this. Why do I feel…so weak?'_ I asked myself as I curled into a ball at the pain. As I tried to move he continued kicking me and laughing manically. _'Dricer…I need your help. Lend me some of your power, please.'_ I lay motionless as I felt the familiar tingling feeling start at my toes and rise up my body until it filled the top of my head. I smirked and waited for Kaoru to kick at me again. I grabbed his foot and twisted it, sending him to the ground as I jumped up and faced him.

"I knew it!" He said as he stood and flicked his hair out of his eyes. "I knew you possessed the sacred spirit of destruction!"

"Destruction?" I repeated as I faltered slightly. It was enough for him to catch me off guard and send a painful punch to my abs. I rolled over a couple of times before landing on my arm and feeling pain shoot up it. I clenched my teeth and pushed myself up with my good arm. "Dricer isn't destructive!"

"Bitbeasts and humans are one of the same," Kaoru said as his eyes narrowed. "Bitbeasts and humans share the same beliefs, share the same dreams, share the same lifestyle." He chuckled before adding, "If your Bitbeast is the Scared Spirit of destruction, why're your so called friends trusting you if the only you will bring is destruction?"

"Shut up!" I snapped as I got to my feet.

"I've seen your future," he said, ignoring my outburst. "And it is dark and empty."

"Shut up!" I yelled again. The wind suddenly picked up as everything grew dark. Storm clouds rolled overhead and thunder rumbled in the distance. The smell of rain was strong as lightning illuminated the area, illuminating his smirk, which got wider.

"It's only a matter of time until you beg me to join us," was all he said before he did a single leap and disappeared. I turned my head so the rain that fell diagonally from the wind didn't hit my eyes. I held my limp arm, clenching my eyes shut every time it throbbed with pain. "Shit, I can't blade like this."

And that's when it hit me.

That was his plan.

"Ow!" I hissed in pain as I pulled my arm out of Ray's grasp. I made it back to the dojo about an hour ago and I wasn't surprised that I was met with concern. All the guys seem do to now is worry about me for no reason. I can take care of myself really well but they keep treating me like a kid that needs to be constantly watched.

"Sorry," he apologized as he reached for my arm again but I pulled it away. "If you don't let me help you then your arm is never going to heal properly," he said in a stern tone as he crossed his arms and looked me in the eye. He was talking to me like a parent would talk to their kid and I _hated_ it when he did that. I glared at him before sticking out my arm. "Why do you keep doing that?" He asked as he gently wrapped my arm.

"Doing what?" I asked in frustration as I stared at the kitchen door. I was way beyond hungry and he was the only one keeping me from eating.

"Leaving on your own. You should've known that you'd be attacked again," he responded as he looked up at me briefly before returning his gaze to my bandage.

"You can't keep me locked up like some little kid," I hissed at him. "And I can do whatever I want!" I sighed and shook my head before adding softly. "Ray, I'm not a little kid anymore. You don't have to keep protecting me from all of the monsters that are out there. I'm capable of taking care of myself and fighting my own battles."

"I know that," he said as he stood. "Tilt your head." I did as he said and felt a shiver run up my spine as he got closer to my neck. "I know you can do all of that. It's just…I can't seem to let the old you go, y'know? I just want things to go back to when we were little, before you were banished. Things were so peaceful and we didn't have to worry about beyblading to prove a point and to change the way things are. We did it for fun."

"Shortened story version please," I muttered as another shiver went up my spine as his breath tickled my neck from being so close.

"I don't want to see you get hurt," he said as he backed away and gently put my arm in the sling he had just made.

"Kinda late for that," I said with a small laugh as I gestured to my arm that was in the sling. He just chuckled as he shook his head. His smile slowly faded as he looked at me. I was about to ask him what was wrong when he leaned over and pressed his lips to my cheek. He pulled back and made a face before turning and shoving everything back into his first aid kit. "Ray–"

"If you don't hurry Tyson will eat all of the dinner," he muttered.

"Ray–"

"You shouldn't move that arm too much if you have the chance."

I rolled my eyes and jumped down from the stool, leaving the room. Suddenly I wasn't so hungry anymore. I walked pat the dining room, ignoring Max's and Tyson's call and stepped out of the dojo. I slipped on my shoes and closed the door behind me, starting my walk. I barely even made it out of the perimeter of the dojo when someone appeared in front of me.

"Kai?" I asked in confusion. He didn't say anything; he just looked at me as his cape billowed slightly in the wind. "What're you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same thing," he responded. Wow, was his voice always that cold? "Why aren't you inside?"

"Why are _you_ out here?" I shot back. We stayed silent, keeping our eyes on the other. "Why'd you leave, Kai?" I finally asked.

"I believe that's none of your business," he replied, harshly, turning to walk away.

"You're going to run away again?" I called after him. He stopped and turned to look at me, a hard glare in his violet eyes.

"You don't know anything about anything!" He hissed.

"You're being stupid! The team needs you!"

A very small shadow of a smile formed on his face. "You should get back inside, you wouldn't want Ray to worry," he said in a mocking tone.

"I can do whatever I want, Kai," I pointed out.

"And you're still as blind as ever." He chuckled. "Don't tell the others I was here, ok? It would ruin everything." Before I could move he ran and disappeared in the blink of an eye.

"Hmm," I grunted. "Jerk."


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter Eleven**

"This is so frustrating!" I growled as I kicked at a rock the next day. Hilary and I were on our way to the park where the rest of the guys were waiting. Once again we were turned down when we tried to get more parts for our beyblades.

"What is?" Hilary asked as she looked over at me. I gave her an incredulous look before responded.

"Buying getting beyblade parts," I responded as I gave her a suspicious look. "That's what we've been dealing with for the past couple of days. What did you think I was talking about?"

"Well, to tell you the truth, I thought you were talking about Ray," she responded as she set her ruby colored eyes on me. I made a gagging noise as she continued to study my face.

"Ray!" I repeated. "What's he have to do with anything?" I questioned as I stopped walking and stared at her.

"Don't think I haven't noticed," she said as a smile came to her face. "I know you two have known each other for a long time so you probably didn't notice the way he looks at you, the way he cares about you."

My mouth opened and closed as I tried to form words but they wouldn't come out of my mouth. Ray and I _have_ been friends for a long time and _once_, when I was younger, I did like Ray a little bit. But then it turned to feelings of me liking him like an older brother and a role model. It never entered my head about ever dating him.

"I…what about _you_?" I demanded as I pointed a finger in her face, wincing as pain shot up my other arm.

"What _about_ me?" She asked as she blinked and looked at me.

"You constantly fight with Tyson," I responded as I placed my uninjured arm on my hip. "But I can see what you're up to. You like the attention you get from him. And why?" I continued before she could open her mouth. "Because you use his attention to make up for the lack of attention Kai gives you. Take it from me; you _don't_ want to deal with someone like Kai."

"It's funny," she suddenly stated. I tilted my head in confusion and she continued. "You knew all of the Bladebreakers at different moments in time. You knew Ray from your childhood; you knew Tyson and Max from when you moved here. So, when did you meet Kai?"

Immediately memory after memory slammed into my head at high speeds, and there was no way I could stop them. Memories of darkness, pain, sweat, and blood filled my head and flashed before my eyes like a picture without sound. My heartbeat raced as his laughed filled my ears and echoed in my head before it got louder and louder until I couldn't hear anything besides the laugh. That evil laugh…

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bring it up," Hilary said quickly as I took deep breaths.

"No, it's all right," I muttered. "Let's…just go find the guys."

"All right."

We walked back the rest of the way in silence. I kept my eyes on my feet as we made our way to the park. From a distance I could hear the water from the river rushing and I really wanted to just go and stick my feet in the cool water. There was something peaceful and relaxing about the river, I couldn't explain it. Hilary kept the knowing smile that was on her face once we met up with the guys again.

"Any luck?" Tyson asked hopefully as Daichi stood by his side.

"Sorry dude, they wouldn't give us any parts," I responded. He sighed and lowered his head. "We don't need BEGA," I said as I stared at him. "We can do this on our own. That way we can prove that blading comes straight from the heart. What other way to prove it than to putting some heart into the beyblade you created by hand?"

"She has a good point, Tyson," Max agreed as I walked over to the edge of the river, slipped off my shoes and stuck my feet in.

"But when are we going to get the blades fixed? To beat BEGA, we need to use everything we've got," Tyson responded.

"There must be a solution we haven't thought of yet."

I whipped my head around when I heard a beyblade from a distance. The sound got louder as a beyblade spun down the hill and stopped at Tyson's feet. We all looked up and gasped to see White Tiger X, the PPB All Starz, Barthez Battalion, and F Dynasty.

"You want a solution? You've got it," Rick said with a smirk as they all smiled down at us.

"Kevin!" I called as I turned and waved.

"Crystal!" He said with a smile as he rushed down to my side. "It's so great to see you again. We heard about your challenge. BEGA is going to be tough to beat. But we have come to help."

"Appreciate it," I said as I ruffled his hair.

"Whoa, what happened to your arm?" He asked once he looked down at the sling that was on my arm.

"I got into a little fight, it's no big deal. You should've seen what I did to the other guy." I could feel Ray's eyes on my back as I laughed a little. "I'll be fine but I fear that Dricer's getting restless without me being able to blade for a while."

"Well…maybe there's a way you can blade with one arm," Mariah suggested as she joined me on my other side. "We can help you find a way."

"Thanks, but no thanks, I don't need your help," I said as I let out a sigh.

"Crys, you can't keep pushing us away. Sooner or later you're going to have to accept that we want to help because we want to see you succeed."

"Thank you Oprah," I said sarcastically, trying to hide the smile that was forming on my face but I lost it when Kevin burst out laughing.

"Well, we can still keep your physique up. You can still do push ups and run and do some of the other martial arts training we've learned before," Kevin said once he stopped laughing.

"Thanks guys, this really means a lot to me," I muttered as I looked out at the river that was rushing by my feet.

Boris won't be able to stop us, no matter how hard he tries. I can feel it, the storm is coming and we're caught up in the middle. I know that we will do whatever it takes to succeed and failure is _definitely_ not an option.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter Twelve**

"I _really_ hate this!" I growled as I grabbed another apple and started to peel that one. There was a good sized pile by me all ready and it was getting taller fast. I was so frustrated I peeled the apple faster than normal so, eventually, my pile toppled over, which got me even more frustrated.

"Peeling apples isn't that bad," Hilary commented as she added another one onto the table.

"Hilary, it's the fact that I can't blade and I can't do anything to help them at all!" I said as I whirled around to look at her. "You don't blade, so you wouldn't understand what I'm dealing with." I threw down the apple I was peeling and the peeler before leaving the small kitchen-like cabin. I slammed the door shut, which caused everyone to turn their attention from their beyblades to me. "_WHAT_?" I barked, causing Lee and Raul to flinch at my tone. I glared at them all before going to the girls' bunk house.

I dropped down on my bunk and let out a huge sigh before opening my knapsack and pulling out a book. I settled back against the pillows and shoved the earbuds of Tyson's ipod into my ears (it took me forever to figure out how to turn it on) and began to get lost in the music.

I groaned as I sat up and held my head. Stars were in my eyes as I blinked and tried to look around. But I couldn't see anything. Darkness had me surrounded and my breath came out shuddered. I could see my breath float out of my mouth and suddenly cold wrapped its fingers around me in a touch grip. I shivered as I stood and looked around, rubbing my cold arms.

"G-Guys?" I whispered. My voice echoed throughout the darkness and I flinched, suddenly knowing that I was alone. "Where are you?"

A faint noise caught my attention. It was a noise I knew to well. It was a slap, either to a head or to a cheek. I touched my cheek lightly as I remembered all of those times…

Can't he see I'm afraid of him?

Can't he see I hate him?

No.

He can't see because he's blinded by anger.

Anger towards me for some unknown reason.

I started to walk…somewhere, as I rubbed my cold arms. Crying entered my ears. The sound echoed around me as I turned around trying to find out where it came from. I started running in one direction as the crying got louder and louder. I squeezed my eyes shut and blocked my ears but the sound invaded it. Suddenly light appeared in front of me as two people came into my view.

I looked closer and saw who it was and gasped.

It was me.

And _him._

I was on the ground holding my red cheek as he stared down at me. I was whimpering as I tried to back away. And then, I was actually there, lying on the ground. My cheek suddenly hurt as I brought my hand up to it. I looked around to see the other me, but she was gone. I looked up and saw that his eyes were filled with hatred as his fists were clenched at his sides.

"What do you want from me?" I asked softly as I backed away. He grabbed my ankle and dragged me back as he brought down a belt to my side with a loud _crack! _I screamed as I twisted to the side and tried to get away.

I closed my eyes at the pain and at the _crack_ sound as the whip rained down on my body. I squirmed but he held onto my ankle tight as he continued to hit me. Tears came out of my closed eyelids as I bit my lip to keep from screaming out loud.

I had to get away from the pain.

I just had to.

But I knew I wouldn't.

I _never _get away, no matter how far I ran.

I felt his grip on my ankle tighten and I curled up into a ball, squeezing my eyes shut tighter. _Please go away! Please go away! Please! Please! Please!_ My wish never came true when I felt intense pain on my hip. He hit me over and over again, almost as if he were a personified metronome. I could only curl in pain but he held me so I wouldn't roll. I had to experience this pain all over again. I thought I was away from it, after all this time of running...

The pain suddenly stopped and all was quiet.

I opened my eyes and saw that I was sitting down at a stone table in a cold room. I looked around for something, for someone, but it was just us two. I looked down at the spaghetti that was in front of me and looked back up at him.

"What? Are you not hungry?" He asked innocently as he lifted a forkful of spaghetti to his mouth. I just stared at him. _What's going on here? Where am I? I wanna go home! I WANNA GO HOME!_

"You are home," he said as if he were voicing my thoughts. Had he heard me? It's so hard to tell sometimes. "Now eat your dinner!" I just sat there staring at the plate before my face scrunched up. I grabbed the plate and threw it at the wall above his head.

"What's going on? Where am I? Why did you take me? I want to go home! _I WANT TO GO HOME_!"I shouted as I slammed my palms onto the table and stood facing him.

"Sit down," he said firmly, his dark eyes glaring in my direction.

"NO! TAKE ME HOME! I WANT TO GO HOME!" I shouted again.

"YOU ARE HOME! NOW _SIT DOWN!_" _He_ yelled back at me.

"_NO!_"

"_No one dis obeys me_!"

He grabbed his plate and threw it at me. I didn't have time to move as it hit me in the head and cracked. I screamed as I fell back and hit my head on the floor. I scrambled to my feet and started to run and I could hear his footsteps after me. I reached the slate gray door when he easily grabbed the back of my shirt and yanked me to the ground. I heard the familiar sound of metal shifting and then felt the same stinging, burning pain from before.

"Stop it! Stop!" I screamed as I felt myself slowly growing weaker and weaker, my adrenaline fading as I tried to fight back.

"SHUT THE FUCK UP!" He yelled, bringing his arm up again. His other hand pressed my face into the cold stone floor. I could feel dirt pressing and sticking to my face from the tears that were falling from my eyes. Anguished sobs fell out of my mouth with every hit that landed on my body.

"…_crystal_…"

I lifted my head as I heard someone say my name.

It sounded exactly like Max.

"…_crystal_…" it said again.

It was Max.

"…_crystal, wake up_…"

"What?" I whispered.

"I SAID SHUT THE FUCK UP!" He yelled as he picked up my head and slammed it into the floor.

"…_crystal, wake up_…"

Wake up…

I closed my eyes and I felt the pain slowly fade away, but I felt random throbs. I gasped as I felt air rush into my lungs and I felt my chest rise and fall as I tried to get my breathing back to normal. I felt sweat drip down my forehead, but I still wouldn't open my eyes.

"Wake up." I forced my eyes open and stared at the bottom of the bunk that was above me. I took deep breaths to settle my racing heart before I tilted my head slightly to see Max looking at me, concern filled his blue eyes. "Are you all right? You were screaming in your sleep, we thought you got attacked," he said as I sat up and pushed my hair out of my face.

"I…I'm fine," I muttered as I glanced down at my arm that was in a sling, hatred burning through my body.

"Are you sure? You're shaking."

"Yes. I'm sure. I just…I'll watch you guys blade for a while," I decided as I stood and stretched. Max nodded and led me out of the bunk house. Bitterness filled me as I watched everyone concentrating on their beybattles. What got on my nerves even more was the fact that Mariah, Julia, and Matilda declared that they would take up every spot on the team that we were trying to form to beat BEGA.

"Don't get your hopes up, girls," I told them, the words tumbling from my mouth before I could stop them. "I can beat all of you single handed." I glanced down at my arm and quickly added, "Literally."

"Oh yeah? Well, prove it!" Julia said with a smirk as I got to my feet and held her gaze.

"Bring it on!" I said back as I walked over to the dish.

"Crys, you shouldn't do this," Tyson said, appearing by my side. "You have to rest, you can't beybattle."

"Tyson, you can't tell me what I can and can't do!" I snarled as I took my position behind the dish. "Besides, Dricen needs the practice."

"But –"

"Tyson, let her do it," Max told him. "She's about as stubborn as you are so the fact that you're trying to stop her isn't going to register in her mind." He gave a small smile and added, "Besides, I'm sure she's going to surprise us all."

"Thank you Max," I said with a small smile towards him before I turned to face Julia. "Don't be in a bitchy mood when you loose because I warned you," I told her as she nodded in understanding. "All right, let's get this battle started."

I barely had my fingers wrapped around my beyblade when a voice rang out, "Put the blade down." I growled inwardly. Why the hell does he always get in the way of things?

"Back off, Ray, I know what I'm doing," I said without looking at him.

"Right, you're just going to land yourself in a cast if you blade," he replied. "Now put it down." I turned to glare at him only to receive a steely glare in return. I've only seen that look on his face a few times and each time it scared me. Of course I was a little kid back then. Now, it was as if he had practiced it. I cursed myself when I flinched under his gaze.

"Why do you always gotta ruin everything?" I demanded, crossing my arms over my chest and glaring at a random tree.

"If you want to go ahead and break your arm, that's fine with me, but you're going to feel worse about not being able to blade once you do. Go ahead, do something stupid, deal with the consequences," he shrugged.

"And of course the Almighty Ray s right about everything," I mumbled bitterly. A shadow of a smile formed on his face but he didn't say anything.

"Don't worry about it. You can watch us," Tyson offered with a smile.

"Thanks but no thanks. Watching only makes it worse. I'll go see if Mr. Tate needs more help." I turned and walked back into the kitchen, smiling a little when the delicious smell of food wafted past my nostrils. I tried blocking out the sounds of the others beyblading but it was as loud as a stereo turned all the way up. There was no chance I was going to get away from it, especially up here.

"What?" I asked without turning around. I felt more than knew that Ray was behind me.

"Come with me," he replied.

Now I turned around. "Why?" I demanded, suspiciously.

"We're going to have to change up your training seeing as you currently can only move one arm," he replied. "Which means you're basically going to have to learn to blade all over again."

"What?" I blinked.

He sighed. "You're right hand dominate so you blade with your right hand which means you have more strength in that hand. Now that you can't use it you have to learn to blade with your left hand which is weaker which means you wouldn't be able to pull of simple stuff such as launching if your hand is weak. If you want to get back into the circuit quicker you're going to have to learn all over again."

"That's why you stopped me from blading?"

He nodded. "I figured you'd know what would have happened if you did blade. What?" A slow smile formed on his face. "Did you think I was just trying to 'ruin your fun'?" He asked with finger quotes. I didn't reply, I merely scowled. "You have to learn to trust me. I'm not the captain of the team for nothing."

"Whatever," I mumbled.

"That's it? A one word comeback? You can do better than that." I wanted to wipe that irritating smile off of his face with my fist so badly right now. My fingers twitched, waiting to curl into a ball.

He could really bug me sometimes.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter Thirteen**

I winced at the sunlight that streamed in through the cabin window and then groaned and pulled my pillow over my head when Mariah, Julia, and Mathilda started their excited chatter. Really, it's, like, six in the fucking morning. What do they have to be so happy about?

I tried to sit up but my abs were screaming in pain so I rolled over to try and push myself up with my good arm but even those muscles hurt. Grumbling under my breath I finally managed to sit up with one strong push only to curse when I smacked my head against the ceiling.

"Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed," Mathilda chuckled.

"Stuff it, ya fairy," I growled, jumping down from the top of the bed easily and rubbing my head. "Just be glad I can't use my good arm or I'd strangle you."

"Touchy, touchy," she mumbled, raising her hands as if to defend herself.

"What's gotten you so mad, sour puss? Someone ate your catnip?" Julia laughed.

"Why don't you go and pick on your brother?"

"Calm down, we're just having some fun," Mariah said as she put her hand on my shoulder. "What's really gotten you so annoyed?"

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe the fact that Boris the Bastard is trying to take over the world? The fact that I can't blade? Or the fact that I have to sit around and watch you guys have all the fun ripping the boys to shreds," I replied. "Take your pick."

"So…you're just going to sit around here and do nothing about it?" Julia asked, crossing her arms over her chest. "That doesn't sound like you."

"There's not much I _can_ do when Ray's not on my back all the damn time," I replied, pulling down some clothes from the end of my bed. "Do this, do that. Blade this way, blade that way. No don't do that, do this. Gah! Sometimes I just wanna—"

"Kiss him?" Julia interrupted me.

"Ew, no! That's gross! I don't even like him."

"For someone who doesn't like him you sure complain about him a whole lot," Julia pointed out, sitting back on her bottom bunk and crossing one leg over the other. Her lips were curled in a sinister smirk. "_Usted está en el amor, la novia_," she added.

"What?" Mathilda, Mariah, Hilary, and I asked in unison.

Julia laughed. "I said that she's in love."

"Don't make me sick," I mumbled.

"The signs are all there. You can deny it all you want but soon your emotions will catch up to you. Now, if you want to feel useful get your clothes on and grab your blade. You're going to fight me," Julia ordered. I hesitated. "What?" Her smirk got wider if that were possible. "You have orders from Ray not to fight or something?"

I glared. "No way! Let's do it!" We quickly changed clothes, grabbed our blades, and left the cabin, heading towards the woods so as not to wake the guys. Not that we could, they slept like logs. Tyson sounded like a buzz saw when he slept, actually. We kept walking, trying to look for a place to battle with a decent amount of space. We finally came across what looked like a tree stump with a carved out beydish.

"Are you ready?" Julia asked.

"Born," I replied, loading my launcher. She did the same and we waited as Mariah counted down for us.

"Let it Rip!" Julia shouted as she and I launched our blades.

"C'mon Thunder Pegasus!" Julia called out. I watched closely as her blade got closer to Dricen. I let her attack him, waiting for the right chance to strike. The battle didn't last that long. Julia and I gave it everything we've got and it ended in a tie. I frowned before picking up my blade and staring intently at my bitchip. "Don't sweat it, it'll take some more time to get as good as me."

"Ha, ha ha. That's so funny I forgot to laugh," I quipped, putting Dricen back in my pocket.

Julia stuck out her tongue as Mathilda laughed. Mariah suddenly turned her eyes towards the path. I was about to ask her what she saw when I heard it as well. Footsteps. We waited and finally Max's crazy blond hair came over the horizon.

"What're you girls doing up so early?" He asked, slightly out of breath.

"We could ask you the same thing," Julia replied, crossing her arms over her chest.

"I always go out for and early jog," Max replied. "Helps clear my head and gives me good focus."

"Huh, now if only Tyson were like Max," Hilary commented, shaking her head. "He's still asleep, right?"

"Yeah," Max said with a little laugh. "All the guys are. Yesterday must've wiped them out. I think breakfast is almost ready. Let's get back. If we don't I'm afraid that Emily will try another 'experiment' on our food."

"Please, not again," I said as I held my stomach. "Her meatloaf still sits like a brick."

He laughed and led the way back to the camp area. Before we even got there we could hear Tyson complaining about wanting to eat. It was weird hearing him complain and not having Kai there to reprimand him. It was weird not having Kai around, period. Sure, I haven't known him for long, but I knew that he was a great member to the team. He was what held them all together.

I clenched my good hand into a fist as I thought about how Kai turned his back on them and how he didn't even really acknowledge my existence at all. It's not like I helped him find a way to keep on going through the pain that was being inflicted upon him but his own grandfather. That was sarcasm by the way. I blinked when a hand was waved in front of my face and saw Max looking at me in concern. "I'm fine," I told him.

"How'd you know what I was going to ask?" He questioned.

I shrugged. "It's the first thing that comes out of someone's mouth when they're around me. They think something's wrong just because I'm not talking much."

"_Is_ something wrong."

"No." I shook my head. "Just thinking. I know it's a new concept for you guys but that happens when people have a brain, unlike Tyson."

Max laughed. "Hey, Tyson's not that bad. Sure, he gets himself into a lot of trouble but he finds his own way out of them."

"By charging at a wall blindly and hoping whatever comes out is a good thing."

Max laughed again. "But Tyson wouldn't nearly be as fun if he were serious like Kai all of the time." The smile instantly dropped from his mouth and his eyes when he mentioned the forbidden one's name. I rolled my eyes. They were worse than girls.

"C'mon Maxie. We should get in there before Tyson eats everything," I said as I patted him on the back.

"You're not doing a great job changing the subject," Max said as he lifted his eyebrows. "How's it feel not to blade?"

"Like someone ripped my arm out of it's socket," I replied honestly. "I hate not being able to do anything."

"Use it to your advantage."

"How?"

"Watch people. Watch their techniques. Watch what makes them tick. The best—"

"Offense is a good defense," I interrupted him.

"I say that a lot?"

"A little bit," I smirked. "I don't blame you though. You are right, the best way to defeat someone is to have a good offense and a good defense but no one puts as much faith into the defensive moves like you do, which has made you one of the best bladders out there."

"Thank you," he beamed.

"Which means, once this is all over, don't be surprised when I challenge you," I added. "I expect you to bring your A game and not go easy on me just because I'm a girl."

"I wouldn't dream of it," Max replied. "And you've got yourself a deal." He stuck out his hand I and I shook it, instantly amazed at how soft his hand was.

"Hey, you two are last, that means cleaning duty," Tyson called as soon as we walked through the door of the kitchen.

"Ugh. And Tyson eats like a hoover," I groaned.

"Don't worry, I know how to make cleaning fun," Max said as he lightly hit my shoulder and winked. I beamed.

* * *

Dinner was chaotic, but it didn't really surprise me. I just ate quietly, only talking when someone asked me a direct question. After dinner Max and I cleaned the dishes like we were supposed to, however we spent more time blowing the soap bubbles at each other than cleaning and when we weren't doing that we were trying to make bubble sculptures out of them while we talked about things that we wanted to see in New York. I always wanted to go FAOP Schwartz to play on that big piano. Max promised he'd take me one day.

Afterwards I went back to my bunk and the girls and I just sat in our bunks talking as I flipped through my notebook. A letter fell out and I knitted my eyebrows together as I stared at it, trying to remember when I got it. Oh yes, I got it two days ago. It was from Mei, telling me about the Village and how her marriage ceremony was coming up soon and that I had to come.

When I mentioned it to Mariah it got us into a big debate over whether or not we should be able to choose who we should marry or it be assigned for us. It was still going when I decided to go for a walk. I didn't ask anyone to go with me because I didn't expect Kaoru to just come and attack me when I was so close to the others.

I followed the river, kicking rocks in occasionally before I stopped and sat down, staring at the moonlight that reflected off of the still water. _'How did Beyblading ever turn to this? Whatever happened to the good old days?'_

"Penny for your thoughts," Tyson said as he sat down next to me and lightly wrapped his arms around his knees.

"I'm just thinking about our battle with BEGA," I told him without looking over at him.

"You're worried about losing?" He asked. "Don't worry about it, we're going to beat Boris and BEGA for sure."

"That's not what I'm thinking about, exactly," I said as I shook my head. "I'm thinking more about how this happened. I mean, when we were younger all we had to think about was where to get the newest parts from and how we could get better. Once we did that we participated in tournaments to see who is better and who the most skilled blader is." I paused and shook my head again. "And then Boris came to try and change that. You defeated him and everything went back to normal. Then Zagart came and tried to get your bitbeasts just to turn a stupid robot into a human. And now Boris is back to change the whole beyblading sport all together. This shouldn't happen! Beyblading is about having fun and meeting new people and to bond over the love of the sport!"

"Which is why we have to stop Boris once and for all!" Tyson agreed with a nod. "If he changes the sport of Beyblade all together…then I'm going to stop Beyblading."

"_What_!?" I cried out as I finally turned to look at him. "Tyson, you can't do that!"

"You can't tell me what I can and can't do," Tyson said with a teasing grin. It slid off of his face as he continued. "I will do that only if BEGA wins. There would be no point in Beyblading anymore if he's just going to change the reason to why kids blade in the first place."

"I understand, but Tyson you love Beyblading. Beyblading is your life; you can't just give it up. I know you too well."

"Kind of like how I knew that, no matter what happened, you won't stop beyblading, even if you lost an arm. Which you almost did," he said as she nodded towards my sling. He clicked his tongue before asking, "Why is Kaoru after you?"

"I really don't know myself, but I do know that he wants to kill me and get Dricen. He can't have Dricen while I'm alive so he's going to have to kill me to get to him," I responded. "That's all I know. I don't know who he's working for or what he wants to do with Dricen. But I do know that, as long as I live, no one is going to get their hands on Dricen."

Tyson stayed quiet, although I could tell that he was thinking hard about what Boris was doing. I stayed silent and titled my head back so I was gazing up at the sky. A shooting star passed by and I closed my eyes as I quickly made a wish. I opened them to see Tyson looking at me in curiosity.

"What's up?" I questioned.

"I have two questions for you and I want your honest answers, ok?" Tyson asked as I nodded in understanding. "1) What did you do between the time you were in Japan and China. And 2) What's your history with Boris?"

I took in a long breath through my nose and let it out slowly. Why wouldn't they just drop it? I sighed again. Just telling them would be much easier than avoiding the topic, I suddenly found. Finding new ways to steer a conversation in a different direction was getting harder as the time went on and, frankly, I was getting tired of it.

_Congrats, Tyson, you wore me down._

"Okay," I said. "After I left Japan I traveled on my own for a while, beyblading random competitors, staying in hotels or with some bladers I met. I taught some of them a couple of skills they could use and they taught me some skills also. I managed to find my way to the US by asking a lot of nice people for help, a place to stay here, some food there. There's a certain way you have to ask to get them to feel sorry for you." I swallowed the feeling of guilt that had crept up inside of me. Giving my head a little shake I continued. "Along the way I met a lot of different bladers. They were pretty impressive, a few even let me stay with them from then until I went back to White Tiger Hills a few months ago." A slow smile came to my lips. "Every day was like a new adventure. They taught me new ways to blade and new ways to look at a beybattle. That's what I love, learning new things about it."

I took a shaky breath and closed my eyes briefly as I tried to form words about Boris. Bad thoughts slammed into my head and started to make me sick as his evil laughter rang in my ears. I kept taking deep breaths to make sure I wouldn't throw up.

"Ok, it's like this. Back when I was about…seven I think? Well, age doesn't really matter. So, it was a normal night and I couldn't get to sleep, like usual. I'm a bit of an insomniac. Anyway I was up and I was looking for constellations, my father was into them, when I suddenly heard screaming." I cleared my throat. "I rushed out of my hut and saw that a couple of them were on fire. When I tried to help I was attacked by beyblades. Ray, Lee, and Mariah helped me defeat them as everyone else ran around trying to put out the fires but they only spread. Then I started to find my parents. I kept looking and looking until I found _him_ with them. Boris." I let out a sharp breath and curled my fingers into fists. "He..._killed_ them to get to me. He turned around and said something like 'Do you see this destruction? You caused all of this. Doesn't it feel good? To let your anger out? Join me and we can make sure you're never hurt again'."

"Never hurt again?" Tyson repeated.

"I didn't understand what he meant by that at the time," I continued with a nod. "But I wasn't going to give in so easily. I started to attack him but he sent one of his soldiers on me. He was too powerful. He left, laughing about the destruction and let the fires continue to burn. Once we put them out half the village burnt down and a total number of six people were killed. Someone saw me talking to Boris so automatically fingers were pointed in my direction and I was banned. I didn't know where I was going but I knew I had to leave. I was found and taken by this guy named Voltaire, that was before I went to Japan and met you. He took me to the Abbey in Russia and–"

"That's where you met Kai," Tyson interrupted.

I slowly shook my head. "If only I hadn't been so stupid and trusted everyone I met," I grumbled.

"It's all starting to make sense now."

"What is?" I questioned as I glanced at him.

"Why that Kaoru kid is after you. He's working for Boris and Boris wants our bitbeasts. And the only reason he's going after you is because you knew each of us—Max, Ray, Kai and I—at different points of time."

"I don't think Kaoru is working for Boris," I told him. "Kaoru is far stronger than any of Boris's soldiers. It took you, Max, Ray, and I to defeat him that one time. And, unless I want to kill myself in battle, I can take him on my own. But I'm not that desperate because Dricen would be his and I don't know what he has anything to do with this whole thing."

Tyson kept his mouth shut as silence stretched on between us. I just sat, glaring at the water as I clenched my hands into fists. Tyson placed a hand on my shoulder and that instantly calmed me down. Without a word, we both stood and walked back to our cabins in silence. I quietly slipped into mine and crawled into my bed, falling into a light sleep. I woke up the next morning to Tyson shouting about something to Kenny.

"What's up Chief?" I asked with a yawn as I walked over to him. He had a big smile on his face as he handed me a box. "What's this?" I asked before looking down at it.

"It's your new beyblade. I made it out of metal so I like to call it the Heavy Metal System," he commented as I opened it and took out the beyblade, which was surprisingly heavy.

"But Chief, it's smaller than a normal beyblade," Max pointed out as he looked at his.

"That's true, but this blade holds more power," Kenny said with a nod. "Starting now I want you to train with it so you can control it by the time the tournament rolls around."

"All right, let's try this bad boy out!" Tyson said as he attached his ne blade to his launcher. "LET IT RIP!" He shouted as he launched his blade. There was a small explosion sound as Tyson was thrown off his feet. He crashed into Ray and Rick and the three were sent flying back a couple of feet before they hit the ground.

"Everyone watch out!" I called out as I dove to the ground to make sure I didn't get hit by the next beyblade. It bounced off of some rocks before hitting the ground with another explosion. This time it created a huge crater in the ground as the blade smoked.

"This is definitely not going to be easy," Max said as he helped Tyson onto his feet.

"This may take a while," I said with a sigh as I ran a hand through my hair.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter Fourteen**

"Yes, we can finally leave," I sighed as I watched Mr. Tate and some of the guys lift our bags and suitcases into the bus that would take us back to the city. "These were the worst five days of my life," I grumbled, resting my back against the tree trunk that I was sitting in front of. Mariah was standing next to me, watching them move the bags as well.

"You're only saying that because you couldn't blade," Mariah pointed out.

"Well, _duh!_ I hate sitting around and not doing anything. I was about to go crazy," I replied. "Thank God Mei wrote me or I would've killed all of you."

Mariah chuckled. "I still can't believe her marriage is soon."

"You're telling me. I still don't know how she can go through with having an arranged marriage. Kudos to her for going through with it," I continued. "I wouldn't want to marry someone because my parents chose 'em. That's…too weird for me. I wouldn't want to settle down that fast."

"You don't even know who you're going to marry. You might change your mind depending on who it is," Mariah pointed out.

"You know Ryu. Can you honestly say you're ready to marry him?"

"Of course not." Mariah shook his head. "That's why we're waiting. Mei just wants to marry him now because she loves him so much and she knows it,"

"She's only sixteen! She's so young!"

"We can get married as young as thirteen if we wanted," Mariah told me. I made a face and she laughed. "You only have to get married when you feel like it's the right time."

"Which makes me wonder how you can accept the idea that you're not going to marry Ray," I commented, looking at my fingernails. When I looked up at her she was glaring at me. I laughed. "Strike a nerve? What do you see in him anyway?"

"What you _don't_," she replied. "He's nice and smart and caring and sweet and confident and strong and—"

"You're giving me diabetes," I commented. "Can't you break things off with Ryu?"

She frowned. "It's frowned upon in our village. It's like a sin. But he could break things off with me and that would be ok."

"What's with the double standards?"

A shadow of a smile formed on her face. "Sometimes I think you were lucky to be able to get out and away from the rules. Not that I don't love White Tiger Hills but the rules I could do without."

"Yeah, it's a piece of cake coming back where everyone hates you," I said sarcastically.

"Not everyone hated you," she replied.

"Name one person who didn't."

"I didn't," she replied. I scoffed. "I was mad that you could come back after what happened and the Elder didn't bat an eyelash but I never hated you. I didn't have the full story and I still don't but I now know that Elder was being just when he let you back."

"I don't even know if I want to go back anymore," I admitted.

"What? Why not?" She asked, sitting down next to me. She actually sounded genuinely concerned, which was weird. She usually didn't care about anyone else's business.

I pulled my knees to my chest and shrugged "As you said no one had the full story about what happened that night and I was automatically blamed and kicked out and I never even had a say. No one was thrilled that I came back, except for Mei and the little kids but they didn't even know what happened since they weren't born yet. I don't have anything or anyone else to tie me there. I mean, my parents are dead and so are my grandparents. I don't have a reason to go back."

"What about for us? The White Tiger team? You're still one of us," she said as she put her hand on my shoulder.

I laughed bitterly. "I'm not one of you. I never have been. Maybe on paper, maybe by nationality, but I don't fit. I never have." I shook my head, stood, and dusted off the seat of my pants. "Just leave me alone, ok?"

* * *

"Thank god we're back. I don't think I'd be able to last another day up there," I sighed as I flopped down on my futon in the Granger dojo. I could relax for a couple of seconds before I was launched off of the futon and landed on the hard floor. Max burst out laughing as I rolled over to face him. "You're going to regret that, Tate!" I said in fake anger before I rushed over and started to tickle him. Max burst out laughing as he held his sides and started to roll around.

"Ha ha ha ha! Stop it! Ha ha ha ha! Stop, stop!" Max said in between laughs as I continued to tickle him.

"What's going on?" Ray asked as he walked into the room, his eyebrows were raised.

"We're celebrating being back," Max replied, sitting up, his cheeks flushed from laughing. "Even you have to admit you were staring to go crazy up there. Being away from civilization for so long. I don't know, I need some interaction."

"You're _such_ a city boy, Tate," I said with an eye roll. "You wouldn't last one _day_ in the mountains."

"I just did, didn't I?" He shot back, flicking my nose. I made a face and swatted at his hands. He laughed and reached to flick me again but I knocked his hands out of the way.

"Wow, you _are_ part cat," he said with a big smile. I glared and stuck out my tongue. "Why is that?" He asked, looking at Ray.

Ray blinked as if to say 'Oh, you're actually acknowledging me now?'. "Why is what?"

"That the people from the White Tiger Tribe act and kinda sorta look like cats," Max replied, rolling onto his stomach and propping his chin up with his hands.

Ray chuckled. "That is a long story that we don't have time for."

"Hopefully we have time to catch some zees," I mumbled, resting my head on the folded up futon and closed my eyes.

"What're you guys doing? We have to train!" Tyson shouted, entering the room. I groaned and curled my hands into fists, opening my eyes to glare at him.

"Chill, Ty, can't we just relax for a while?" Max asked as he looked at his friend. "I mean, we've been training nonstop–"

"And that's the only way we'll be able to defeat BEGA!" Tyson interrupted him.

"For once I agree with him," Daichi announced, bursting into the room. I groaned at the inevitable headache that I was about to get. "We have to train as much as we can to beat BEGA and we can't do that by sitting around and sleeping."

"Come _on_, Ty," I groaned. "For the past five days we've done nothing _but_ train. I've even trained with one arm _and_ kicked your ass. You could at least reward us with some rest."

"Do you think Boris and his team are resting?" He growled. "No! They're not resting, they're training and making sure they're in tip-top shape to beat us."

"Ty, chill. We get that this battle is important but there's no need to get snappy," Ray spoke up. "The most important thing is that we get some rest and that's what he haven't gotten. We'll just take this day to relax and then we'll get back to training tomorrow. We'll be in great shape, don't worry."

"I can't believe you guys!" Daichi spoke up. "You're just going to sit around all day instead of train? Whatever happened to the almighty Bladebreakers?" He scoffed. "Buncha chumps if you ask me."

"Watch it, Daichi!" Max hissed. I lifted my eyebrows. I've never see Max without a smile on his face. "You're too young to understand. Resting and taking some time off is as good as a packed day of training."

"Yeah, you know that too, Tyson," I agreed.

"Fine. If you guys want to sit around and lose your edge that's fine with me. C'mon Daichi," Tyson snapped and then stomped out of the dojo.

I sighed and rubbed my forehead with my palm. "The guy needs to take some Valium or something. He's just going to crash and burn if he keeps this up."

"He'll come to his sense eventually," Ray sighed.

"How long does it usually take?" I asked.

"Too long," Max replied and I cracked a smile.

"Ok, I don't know about you boys but I'm starving so I'm going to run to the store and then I'll make dinner for everyone," I said as I stood and stretched.

"I'll come with you," Max offered. "How about you, Ray? Want to come?"

Ray shook his head. "But thanks for the offer. Mariah wanted to do something and I promised her so..."

"Ah, can't have Princess Mariah waiting too long," I mumbled, pulling on my shoes. I ignored the look that Ray was giving me. "Come on, Ray, you really can't be that blind. If she wasn't engaged she'd be all over you like lint." I pulled my hair back and held it up with a scrunchie. "I mean, you _are_ a boy and I can't deny that Mariah's pretty. Really, how long can you resist?"

Ray let out a little breath and crossed his arms. "Not that it's any of your business but I'm all ready engaged to someone else, so is Mariah. We're just friends; nothing's going to come out of it."

"Whoa, you're engaged to be married?" Max asked, widening his eyes.

Ray nodded. "Everyone in the White Tiger village is. We're arranged to be married when we're born but you don't know who the significant other is until you're at least thirteen, which is the youngest you can get married."

"So…you're engaged as well?" Max asked turning to me.

I hated the way he was looking at me, as if he couldn't believe it. "Unfortunately, but I don't feel it applies to me. Add on the fact that I was _wrongfully_ banished," I said in Ray's direction, who looked towards the ceiling, "I just don't see eye to eye with some of the rules of the White Tiger village, that's all."

"So, do you know who your fiancé is?" Max asked,

"No."

"I do," Ray replied. I turned to look at him and saw that he had a sinister smile on his face. Of course I would want to know who he was. "All of us know, actually."

"And you're not going to tell me?" I asked incredulously.

He shrugged. "There's no point. You don't want to accept the culture which means technically you're _not_ engaged so it doesn't matter anyway."

"Let's go before you kill Ray with your eyes," Max said, grabbing my arm and dragging me out of the dojo. "You do know he gets on your nerves on purpose."

"We'll see who gets the last laugh when I have my hands wringing his neck," I growled, shoving my hands into my pockets. I took in a few deep breaths and let them out slowly to calm myself down.

Max laughed and ran a hand through his hair. "Why do you two butt heads so much anyway?"

Shrugging I sighed. "Because he keeps treating me like I'm five and not fifteen," I replied, tugging at the end of my ponytail. "Because he's the Captain and he always thinks he's right. Because hes..._Ray. _It's like…stuck in his mind he still sees me as a little kid that he needs to protect all the dang time."

"He's just looking out for you. I mean, we're all worried with that weird kid running around out to get you."

"He has a funny way of showing it," I grumbled. I let out a little squeak when he suddenly put an arm around my shoulders and pulled me into his side. He looked up at him and he had that famous Max smile on his face. My cheeks started to burn.

"We all care about you, that's all. Don't take it personally. But I do think we all need to take a break from training, at least for one day."

"Try telling that to Tyson," I muttered into his side. "He'll bite your head off if you make that little suggestion. He's acting like it'll be the end of the world if we don't train for one day. I get it, this match is not only important to him but to the sport as a whole and if he lets it get to his head too much he's bound to make a simple mistake that'll cost us the whole thing. The best thing for us to do is to…de-stress. Relax. Have fun."

"That's exactly what I was thinking," Max agreed. "So, do you want to do something tomorrow after practice assuming Tyson doesn't make us train all day."

I pushed his arm off of my shoulders and stopped in my tracks, looking at him. "Are...are you asking me out?" I questioned, tilting my head to the side. It sounded like it but...I wasn't so well versed when it came to things that normal teenagers did. They dated, right? Whatever that meant. And it _was_ Max asking, and he was nice...

He half turned to face me, his eyes shifting. "Well…if that was too forward than no but…" His voice trailed off as a light blush spread across his nose. "If you don't want to I'd understand. I mean you'll probably be tired from practice and want to relax. I just hoped maybe you'd—"

"Sure," I interrupted his rambling. I swear if I didn't stop him he'd talk his mouth off. I grinned at the thought. That'd be pretty interesting to see. Then we wouldn't have to see Tyson eating so obnoxiously like he always does.

Max blinked. "Really?" A slow smile spread on his face. I could tell that he was trying so hard not to make a big deal about it. "Cool," he finally said calmly.

I laughed.


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter Fifteen**

I could feel Hilary staring at me and I could tell what she was going to ask before she even opened her mouth. It seemed as though she, Mariah, Julia, and Mathilda were waiting for someone to crack and ask me the question of the day.

"You're dating Max?" Hilary asked, poking me in the side.

_Finally._ I let out a little growl but didn't open my eyes. The girls and I were watching Max and Tyson as they battled each other with their new blades, still trying to get the hang of it. Max was mastering it so far and Tyson was still having a little trouble. Most likely because he was still so stressed about everything he couldn't focus on what he was doing.

"No," I finally replied, looking her in the eye to make sure she got what I was saying. "I'm going on _a_ date with him, I'm not dating him. There's a huge difference." _I think._ _Note to self: ask Hilary about this stuff when we're alone._

"Why?" Mathilda asked, picking at blades of grass. "I mean, what if it messes up the team?"

"It's one date!" I cried out, sitting up and brushing grass off of my shirt. "It's not like I'm getting married to the guy and I couldn't just say no, not that I wanted to. Max is sweet. I'm looking forward to it," I admitted. And then it hit me. I really _was_ looking forward to it. Just thinking about it made me smile. And this was normal for people my age.

"You _do_ know he's a really big flirt, right?" Hilary asked, looking at her nails.

"So?" I asked. I really didn't see the point in her telling me that.

"Every girl he comes across that he thinks is cute he has to comment on or talk to."

"Guys," I sighed, rolling my eyes. "You're making too big a deal out of this. It's just _one_ date, it's not like I'm going to be his girlfriend." _Oh gosh, I don't even want to think about that._

"You never know. Max can get anyone to do anything for him with that certain smile of his," Mariah said as she finger combed her hot pink hair. "Besides, having a boyfriend will be good for you. Maybe now you can actually act like a girl."

"Flouncing around and batting my eyelashes?" I scoffed, even though her comment stung. "No thank you."

"There's nothing wrong with male attention."

"No but there's something wrong with acting like a complete airhead over a boy," I replied.

"Don't say we didn't warn you when your beyblading goes downhill because you're paying more attention to him," Julia said as she looked over her blade. "And what if the date goes badly? I mean, you _are_ on the same team and it could be really awkward."

"You're having too much fun with this," I grumbled. She merely smirked and continued messing with her blade. "You don't have to worry. Nothing's going to happen that will change our focus."

"Maybe not yours but his. I mean, he's obviously crushing on your big time. Don't break his heart. I couldn't bear seeing someone as sweet as him get hurt," Mathilda said.

"So why don't _you_ go out with him?" I asked, lifting my eyebrows. Then I pretended to get a thought and put a finger to my chin. "Oh, that's right. You only have eyes for Miguel!" I said loudly. Mathilda blushed and lunged at me, covering my mouth with her hand. I laughed behind her hand as she glanced over at the guys to make sure no one had heard me. "You're lucky I'm in a good mood," I told her once she moved her hand away from my mouth.

"You're an evil girl," Mathilda sighed.

"So you _do_ like Miguel!" Julia said and started laughing.

"Why is that so funny?" Mathilda demanded, rounding on Julia.

"Relax, Thilda. I'm laughing because you, Mousy Mathilda, likes Miguel, the most oblivious person in the world excluding Tyson."

"I don't like Miguel," she denied.

"No sense in denying it now, sweetie, you practically confirmed it by jumping down our throats," Julia said as she looked at her nails.

Mathilda grumbled under her breath as Mariah and Julia continued to poke fun at her. I turned my attention back to the beybattle as Hilary shifted her position and sighed again. I knew it was simply because she was bored, hell I was too. The guys still wouldn't let me blade until my arm was fully healed. I could blade if they'd give me the chance but no, they were too thick headed as usual. Now I had to sit around and watch them blade as they try and figure out who the fifth member was going to be. I know Tyson was still holding onto the hope that Kai would come back and blade on the team but the competition was two days away and they needed _someone_.

Of course I was hoping it would be me, I was much better than the other girls, although Mariah did have the upper hand on me sometimes I'll admit. But otherwise I was better. Why didn't they just ask me to be on the team all ready? The wait was killing me! And then I mentally slapped my forehead. Of course. How many times have I said I don't blade on teams? I sighed. I'm just...not used to them, that's all. I hope they give me a chance at least.

"You guys should take a break, you've been at it all morning," Lee finally spoke up. "Ray, you always said it's not good to push yourself too much."

"Lee's right," Mariah agreed almost instantly. _Of course._ I fought the urge to roll my eyes. The girl was too much sometimes. "And we made lunch for you guys too. Come and enjoy it."

"All you had to say was that you had food," Tyson said, catching his blade. Then his stomach growled and he rubbed his neck as he laughed a little. "Can't blade on an empty stomach, right?"

"What about an empty head?" Hilary asked innocently. A smile pulled at the corner of my lips as Tyson glared at her but didn't say anything and continued eating. Hilary deflated slightly but turned her attention to Kenny who was trying to tell her something about their stats. I don't know why he was trying, she wouldn't get it. Especially since she was fuming at Tyson.

"Those two should get together all ready," Max commented sitting next to me.

I nodded in agreement. "There are so many arguments that I can handle in a day. They're making it so freakin' obvious though. But it _is_ Tyson, he doesn't understand anything even if it's written in big letters in front of his face."

Max laughed. "Or if it isn't about beyblading," he added. "He really needs to relax though. If he keeps this up it's going to affect his performance."

"Eh, sometimes stress is good. Keeps people on their toes," I said, leaning back on my elbows. I let out a little sigh and looked around at everyone talking, laughing, and eating. The day was so…perfect. And it scared me knowing that the battles in a few days could easily change the one thing that gives my life meaning. "Hey Max, I was thinking…maybe this…date thing could be low key? I mean, considering what's coming up I'm not really in the mood to do anything big."

"I was thinking the same thing," he said with a soft smile. "Take-out and a movie back at the dojo?"

"Sounds good. Pizza?"

He wrinkled his nose. "You don't like anchovies, do you?"

I lightly punched him on the arm. "I may be from White Tiger Hills but I don't carry their stereotypes. I hate fish, ironically."

He let out a breath of relief. "Oh good."

"But if you put a drop of mustard anywhere _near_ my pizza," I started in fake warning.

"Ugh, even _I'm_ not dumb enough to put mustard on pizza," he said, sticking out his tongue. I sighed. "I prefer ranch dressing," he added.

"Ugh, you're so weird!" I groaned as he laughed. We fell into a comfortable silence. Soon everyone else was quiet as well. It was kinda creepy but I knew we were all thinking the same thing. What the outcome of the battles would be. Would this be the last time we were able to blade for fun and not for a sport?

I was wondering if this would be taken away from me like everything else I loved.


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter Sixteen**

The night went by faster than I had hoped and the next thing I knew it was morning. I shifted and rubbed my eye as I yawned only to lightly hit Max's arm, which was lightly hung around my waist. I smiled at the warmth radiating from him and yawned again. Last night was a perfect way for me to take my mind off of today's battle.

Max and I ended up ordering a pizza and watching a movie (_The Notebook,_ of all movies he picks _that_ one!). The others left us alone but Tyson continually barged in a couple of times begging for some pizza. I didn't mind but could tell that Max was getting even more annoyed each time Tyson came in. Ray managed to divert Tyson's attention by promising to make him whatever he asked for.

Once the movie was over we just stayed up talking. We talked about how he dealt with his parents' divorce, what made him start blading, and what he wanted to accomplish with his skills. I have to say I was pleasantly surprised with what Max had to say. People kept telling me that Max, being the youngest of the group (besides me), usually didn't look past the 'now' and into the future but he had a good head on his shoulders.

And then we kissed. Thank god he wasn't my first or else that would have been embarrassing. We just kissed and kissed and kissed. Max is a good kisser but…I didn't really feel anything. I guess I should have said something to him but...kissing is what teenagers do, right? This was normal and I didn't want to hrt his feelings… I guess we just fell asleep after kissing for so long and here we are now, lying down on the couch.

I lifted his arm and slid off of the couch, careful not to wake him up. Running my fingers through my hair I shuffled into the kitchen to get something to eat before Tyson stormed in on one of his many pre-battle rampages.

"Sleep well?" I jumped and practically clawed my way to the top of the refrigerator in shock. I looked around and then noticed that Ray was sitting at the kitchen table, drinking some tea, a mischievous look was in his amber eyes.

"Jesus, Kon, you're going to give me a heart attack," I mumbled, jumping down from the stool I landed on.

"The lack of oxygen you received last night probably did that for me," he commented airily.

"I…you…_you spied_," I spluttered. I growled under my breath when I felt my cheeks turning red.

"I didn't have to," he replied, picking up his little mug. I lifted an eyebrow as he took a sip of his tea and carefully put it down. "With Tyson's big mouth and having to know everything that goes around this place it was only a matter of time until news spread."

"Huh." I went to the refrigerator and mumbled under my breath when I saw that there weren't really good choices left. Leave it to Tyson to have a midnight snack every night. Sighing, I grabbed the loaf of bread and decided to make toast with cinnamon sugar on top. "You might as well ask me the burning question that's on your mind," I told him, hating the burning feeling I was getting on my forehead.

"How was your night?" He asked. I stopped and looked at him. That's it? _How was your night_? He didn't want to know anything else? But then again I should've known, Ray wasn't open to barge into someone else's business unless he was invited in.

"Fun," I replied, putting butter on the bread and then dumping cinnamon sugar on top. I then put it into the toaster which worked like a normal oven. "I needed fun considering…" I didn't have to finish my sentence; Ray knew what I was talking about.

He nodded and then a teasing smile graced his lips. "Which part was more fun: the movie or the kissing?"

I really wanted to throw the knife that was in my hand at him but I stopped myself. He was just teasing, that's all. Nothing to get all jumpy about… "_That_ I'm not going to tell you," I replied, putting the bread back into the 'fridge. "Besides, it's not like this is going to last long. I just needed something to take my attention away for a bit."

Ray raised his eyebrows. "Does Maxie know that?" It almost sounded funny the way Ray called Max 'Maxie'. He was the only one he gave a nickname to. Tyson was hard to find one and if you gave Kai a nickname he'd probably kill you before you could even utter it.

"Sure." I nodded. Then paused. "I think." Then I sighed. "I _hope_." I noticed his questioning gaze. "I like Max, I really do, it's just…" What? What was the problem?

"Not as much as he likes you, though," he summed up.

"Do you live in my brain?" I joked, turning back to my breakfast as soon as the bell dinged.

"No, you're just easy to figure out." He paused and his eyes squinted slightly in that way that he was carefully choosing his words before speaking. "I think you need to figure out what's going on between you two and make sure it's clear. The last thing you want is for this to be serious when you're not totally into it."

I waved off his comment. "It's not serious," I said firmly and then took a bite of my breakfast, smiling at the sweet taste that filled my mouth.

"Does he know that?"

"Ray, you're worrying about nothing," I sighed. "Nothing's going on between us and nothing _will_ go on between us. It was just a night of harmless fun." Then I added for good measure, "Besides, I'm _engaged_, remember?"

Ray laughed a little. "Like you actually listen to that rule."

"In this case, I just might."

* * *

"Tyson." Max grabbed his arm and stopped him from pacing the hallway. He stopped and looked up at Max, his mahogany eyes were filled with determination but worry as well. I felt for him. The whole Beyblading game rested on our shoulders. If we didn't win...we were finished, our lives were practically over. "It'll be OK," Max told him. "We'll get through this. Just concentrate on one battle at a time."

"Max is right," Ray agreed. "You shouldn't psyche yourself out, dude. We've got your back."

Tyson sighed and let out a smile. "Thanks guys, I really appreciate it."

I tilted my head as the sound of cheering got louder. "Sounds like it's time," I said, pushing myself off of the wall I had been leaning against. "Kenny, is your computer up and ready?"

He nodded. "Gave it a good charge last night."

"Good luck, guys," Hilary said with a smile.

"Thanks Hil," Tyson said with a grin. "Come on guys."

I watched them walk off down the hall before turning and running to catch up with Mariah and the others. We made it out to the top portion of our seating section right as the G Revolutions entered the stadium.

"Please give it up for the World Champion Tyson and his G Revolutions!" DJ Jazzman announced while they walked in. "OK, let's see who's on your team."

"Oh, like you don't already know them," Mariah muttered under her breath.

"Don't shoot the announcer, it's his job," I scolded her.

Her cheeks puffed up. "Yeah, well, he could do a better job of it!"

I laughed. "I agree with you there.

"There's, uh, there's Ray! And I see Max and little Daichi," DJ Jazzman announced. "And team captain Tyson of course and, hey! Wait a second...So, what're you guys trying to pull here?" He demanded. I looked around as the crowd started to boo and jeer. I clenched my teeth. DJ Jazzman was putting them in such a bad light! They didn't deserve it! "Ok, Tyson, your little stunt' over. You mind telling everyone who your fifth blader is? And hurry up, we're waiting!"

"I knew Tyson should've chosen someone else," Lee grumbled. "Now no one will take us seriously."

"We...call him Mr. X," Tyson announced.

"He's gotta be joking," I mumbled.

"Excuse me?" DJ Jazzman uttered.

"Hey! I said his name is Mr. X! And he's sitting over there!" Tyson announced, pointing at the person sitting next to Hilary and Kenny. I leaned forward and got a closer look. _Oh for the love of...Please tell me that's not..._.I covered my face and groaned. Grandpa Granger was sitting on the bench with some sort of wrestling mask over his face. This is what happens when we try to get Tyson to come up with a plan!

"Grrr, how _dare_ they laugh at our team?" Rick bellowed and tried to jump over the edge of the rows in front of him.

"Take it easy Rick, don't pop a vein," Michael said while grabbing onto the bigger, older man to keep him from jumping.

"Would you just please sit down?" Mariah huffed in Rick's direction.

I tensed when Boris started to speak. My fingers gripped the edge of the row while he laughed at Tyson. That son of a bitch. How dare he think that we couldn't take them on with one blader down? We were a force to be recognized. How dare he belittle us. I looked around at the crowd that started to praise Boris. They didn't even know what kind of monster he was.

I jumped on top of the section and Mariah grabbed my wrist. "What're you doing?" Mariah demanded. "Get down!"

"No! I can't sit by and let Boris use some lame propaganda against them! I have to do something," I replied, wrenching my wrist out of her grasp. "Hey Tyson!" I yelled, cupping my hand over my mouth. He looked in our direction and locked eyes with me. I raced down the section of seating, using any free space i could squeeze into, jumping over people's heads before i jumped onto the stadium floor and rushed over to him.

"Uh? What's up?" He asked.

"I'll be your fifth blader," I replied, surprised that the words even came out of my mouth. It shocked the others as well because they were looking at me with wide eyes. Ray especially.

"I can't ask you to do that," he said, shaking his head.

"Good thing you didn't ask then," I replied with a chuckle. "You're still waiting for Kai, right?" I asked. A hurt look flitted across his eyes before it disappeared altogether. "I don't even have to launch my blade, I'll hold his place until he comes, OK? Besides, it's not like I actually can blade with this arm so I can sit out until my time comes up. Just as long as the team has five members."

He nodded slowly and put a hand on my shoulder. "Thanks."

I grinned. "Anytime."

"Whoa, looks like the G Revolutions have come up with their fifth member," DJ Jazzman announced. "Everyone, give it up for newcomer Crystal Manning." I scoffed at the boos that spread through the crowd. They didn't matter, the only one that did was standing in the presidential box. "Now it's time to introduce the starting blader for today!"

"Alright guys, it looks like this is it," Tyson said over the noise of the crowd as the BEGA bladers got ready for the battle. "I want you all to give everything you've got in there."

"We wouldn't give anything less," I pointed out as I sat down on the bench and stretched my good arm above my head. Having my other arm in a sling was really starting to take a toll on my nerves, but as long as I didn't have to stop balding all together, I was fine.

"And starting out for the BEGA bladers is," DJ Jazzman said before he turned to the big screen. Some pictures flashed on it before they stopped and rested on the blue haired, Pop Sensation, Ming-Ming.

"Oh come on!" I groaned as I rolled my eyes.

"Oh no! You can't be serious! Anyone but her!" Daichi cried out in shock when he realized that she was going to compete against him. I looked around in shock when Ming-Ming's fans started to giver her encouragement. Max, Tyson, and Daichi all had annoyed looks on their faces and Ray's face was void of any emotion. Hilary was seething with anger and Kenny seemed to be head over heels. I cringed when her face appeared on the big screen.

"Hi!" Ming-Ming said in a bubbly voice. "Thanks everybody! I'm going to do my very best for each one of you!" She waved to the cheering crowd as she giggled.

"Just watch yourself," Garland told her in a serious tone. "Don't get too confident. This could be a tough match to win. Daichi might not look like much but he's actually quite powerful."

"So am I!" Ming-Ming protested. "Don't let this pretty face fool you. I mean, my blading record speaks for itself, doesn't it?"

"Oh please," I muttered under my breath as I shook my head and rolled my eyes. DJ Jazzman revealed the dish as the Hestia Stadium and Kenny confirmed that there were no booby traps, which was good in our case because we knew there was no way Boris could cheat.

"All right! I'll be back in a minute, after I knock that girl's blade right out of there!" Daichi declared as he started to move towards the dish.

"Hey Daichi, watch it!" Tyson called after him. "Don't be fooled by her looks. Boris hand picked her, remember? She's a BEGA blader so she'll probably play dirty."

"Ming-Ming wouldn't do that!" Kenny suddenly cried out as we turned to look at him. "You don't know her!"

"And you do?" Ray questioned as he lifted an eyebrow.

"Listen, I know Ming-Ming. She would _never_ fight dirty. I know her! She's pure of heart. The kindest, gentlest creature of all. Ming-Ming doesn't have a sneaky bone in her entire body."

"Are you sure?" Hilary asked. "She works for Boris."

"Yeah, what makes you think she's so pure anyway?" I added as I glanced over at him.

"Because I have evidence." He then proceeded to pull out a copy of Ming-Ming's CD and went into a speech about how her lyrics proved that she wasn't sneaky and that she would never use tricks.

"Well, maybe she is on the level," Ray spoke up. "But there's always a chance that Boris is up to something."

"Yeah, that's right," Tyson agreed. "We still have to watch ourselves. This _is_ a competition."

"I guess so," Kenny admitted. "But be nice to Ming-Ming," he quickly added.

"Sure, whatever you say," Ray said with a laugh.

"At least this battle would give us a good idea of what the BEGA strategy is going to be," I pointed out.

"Kenny, we need you to analyze all the battle data," Tyson said as he turned to him.

"I'm all ready on it," he responded as he positioned his camera on the dish. The battle started off in an interesting way. I hate to admit it but Ming-Ming was a good blader, in her own way although she was very annoying. Daichi seemed pretty confident about going against her but, like the rest of us, we underestimated her. She actually had Daichi matched until she showed more power than I thought she actually had. Daichi seemed to get really aggravated by her attacks and he seemed to stop thinking and just tried to attack her as much as he could.

"He's digging his own grave," I muttered under my breath.

"What's…going on?" Tyson asked in shock a few more minutes into the battle. Ming-Ming had started singing a song about beyblading. I clenched my teeth to keep from crying out in annoyance. "This is supposed to be a beyblade battle, not a rock concert."

"Her eyes," Kenny muttered.

"What're you blabbering about now?" I asked as I turned to him.

"Her big beautiful eyes," he responded. "They show no nervousness or doubt. She's in total control. When she's singing you can see that he concentration is at its peak and I'm sure she controls her beyblade with her voice."

"No way!"

"That must be it!" Tyson gasped.

"So she's not trying to distract Daichi. She's singing because that's how she makes all those amazing moves with her blade! That's her secret!"

"Daichi!" Tyson yelled. "She's singing that song because that's her way of building up her concentration so she can make her blade do those tricky moves. It's all strategy."

"If there's any chance that she's singing it to annoy him I'm pretty sure that' s working, because it's annoying me," I muttered as Daichi commanded Strata Dragoon to attack. I glanced up at the box where Boris was standing and shuddered once his eyes locked with mine. I looked back at the battle but I could feel his eyes boring holes into the back of my head.

For two little kids Ming-Ming and Daichi put up a great fight. I admit that Ming-Ming deserved to win that battle, she put everything into it and fought with confidence that I have never seen on someone so young before. I actually look forward to meeting up with her again to take her on myself.

"I lost," Daichi said as he closed his eyes, as if he expected us to yell at him.

"Don't worry about it, Daichi," Max said with a small smile. "You did your best. And this way we know that BEGA will play fair and square and we know what their strategy is."

"We also know that Boris doesn't have any way of cheating," Ray agreed.

"We don't know that necessarily," I corrected him. "How do we know that he's not just waiting for Tyson to battle to use something to cheat?"

"We're just going to have to wait and see then," Tyson said as he turned to glare up at the box where Boris was still standing.


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter Seventeen  
**

"I can't believe some tone-deaf, helium voiced, bubblegum haired, _pop_ start bea me!" Daichi groaned, banging his head on the table he was sitting in front of. "I can't believe it! Her. _Her!_ Of all people! She beat _me_! By _singing_!"

_Does this guy ever shut up?_ I lowered my head from looking at the ceiling and glared at the red-haired monkey as he continued to whine and complain and justify his loss. Ray was sitting in a corner, head bent, and eyes closed, meditating to get his mind in the right place for his match. Max was laughing a little at Daichi. Daichi's rant was comical but it was a pain in the ass as well. The supposed best beyblader in the world didn't have any sense of humility at all! If he had been raised in the White Tiger Village that's one of the first things they teach us.

Tyson was sitting next to Kenny, Hilary on the other side, and they were watching Daichi's battle again on his laptop, analyzing the battle as much as possible. Tyson was uncharacteristically quiet, which made me worried. We all had a lot riding on these battles but I wondered if Tyson was taking it just a bit _too_ seriously. Sure, if BEGA won Beyblading would be turned into a sport and it wouldn't be there just for fun anymore, limiting the challenges the bladders around the world would face, but it wasn't the end of the world. We just wouldn't do tournaments anymore, and there was nothing wrong with that. But still, I got what he meant. Beyblading was the only thing we had that was pure and if that was taken away… I might as well just get married and become a housewife or something.

"What a lousy trick. If I had her in the dish again I'd give it to her…"

"Will you stop your bellyaching all ready?" I finally lost it. The kid was working on my last nerve. Daichi stopped his rant and turned to look at me as did everyone else. "You lost, get over it," I snarled, clenching my hands into fists. "No one wins every battle they fight. Do the best bladers sulk over it? No! Do they whine and complain and put their faults on someone else? No! Do they stick their blame on someone else when it was really their fault? _No!_ They suck it up, deal with it, and learn from the battle and apply it to their next one! So put up or _shut up_!"

"She has a point," Ray sighed, lifting his head and opening his eyes. "In a very unconventional way…"

"I'm not here to babysit you all," I responded, putting my hands on my hips. "I'm not here to sugar-coat everything for you. You lost, deal with it, move on, and get ready for the next battle instead of moping. Don't forget what we're aiming for. Sitting around, moping, and whining like a buncha babies isn't going to help you win. You have to concentrate!"

"I think Kai took over her body," Tyson muttered.

"Imagine all that rage being shoved into such a tiny space," Kenny responded. "I'd be angry too."

I slapped my hands on the table and leaned close to their faces. "_What did you just say?_"

Tyson and Kenny backed away, fear etched across their faces as Hilary laughed.

"Never mess with an angry woman, boys. You'll just get burned," she said gleefully.

"Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned," Dizzi sing-songed.

"_I'm not scorned!_" I took in a deep breath and held it until I felt myself relaxing a little and let the breath go and said as calmly as I could, "We have the rest of the day to put our minds at ease and get a good rest for tomorrow's battle. Don't waste it." To try and bring in a bigger audience Boris decided to have a battle per day so Ray would blade tomorrow and Max the next day. I would go after Max assuming he didn't lose and if Kai didn't show up.

The room was silent but then the door to the room swung open and hit the other wall with a loud bang. A flash of pink flew by me and the next thing I knew Mariah was gushing about how she had faith in Ray and knew that he would win tomorrow and blah blah blah.

"Mariah," I finally called, annoyed of her consistent Ray worship.

"Yeah?" She asked happily, turning to smile at me.

"Clam it."

A look of confusion crossed her features before a cat-like smile formed on her face and she hooked my arm with hers at the elbow. "You're in a grumpy mood, but I know how to fix it." She winked and lifted a finger. "We'll have a party. Tonight."

"A party?" Max repeated, his eyebrows crinkling. "What for?"

"Yeah, we don't have a reason to celebrate," Tyson agreed.

"We don't need a reason to celebrate to have a party. We'll have one to relax and take our mind off of the day! It'll be fun!" Her mouth twisted to the side when no one said anything. "C'mon, we'll have games and music and food. A _lot_ of food!"

"Well…" Tyson muttered. Mariah's grin widened. Anytime food was in front of Tyson he wouldn't pass up the chance to eat it, and Mariah knew that.

"She has a point, a relaxed blader is just as great as a focused one, right?" Hilary spoke up. "And when was the last time we took a break?"

"I don't think you guys understand that we're in a battle _for our lives_!" Tyson roared. "And all you want to talk about is parties and games and _food_?" The sudden silence that fell over the room was broken by his grumbling stomach and the others let out groans, some fell to the floor. "Heh heh, well you know… better to blade on a full stomach than an empty one…"

"A party it is then!" Mariah cheered, punching a fist into the air. "Meet at Tyson's dojo at 7! The girls and I will set everything up."

"How did I get dragged into this?" I grumbled.

"'Cause you have the best organizational skills that anyone I know," she replied.

"Whatever."

"Yeah, she totally is channeling Kai," Tyson concluded, crossing his arms over my chest.

I smirked. "Just be glad I'm _not_ him." My smile dropped and I sighed again. "Ok, I'll help. I'll get groceries or something. Ty, do you want anything?"

"That's not a safe question to ask," Hilary commented before he could even open his mouth.

"I mean, I noticed they're running out of food at the dojo so I figured I could get them something while I'm out," I said, shrugging.

Tyson actually looked surprised. "Thanks," he said simply.

I shrugged. "No prob." Then I turned and left the room, sighing and dropping my shoulders. I didn't meant to snap at all of them. They didn't deserve it, but they were getting on my nerves… I could feel Dricen pulsing in my pocket, his way of trying to comfort me and help me relax. Unfortunately he'd have to try harder.

It took a bit longer than I expected to walk to the store from the stadium but I was finally able to think in peace and quiet so I couldn't complain. I scanned the aisle searching for everything that Mariah felt was needed for the party. I was surprised that they let me off 'lockdown'. They've been so concerned that Kaoru would attack me again for the longest time. I guess since he didn't show up after a while they lessened their leaches.

Humming, I pushed the cart full of food to the cashier. I watched as he slid each item over the scanner and tapped my fingers against the cart. Finally the cashier bagged the food. I grasped the bags and lifted them out of the cart, pushing the cart away and moving to the exit. I had one foot outside the store and sighed when I noticed that it was pouring.

The weather must reflect my mood. It wasn't raining before; hell there was barely a cloud in the sky before. Grumbling, I started walking down the street, back to Tyson's place. I felt water droplets bring down my hair and run down my neck as I hunched over to try and keep the rain out of my face. The next thing I knew the rain had stopped falling on me altogether. I looked up to notice a large umbrella was now over my head. I turned my head to see who had put the umbrella over me.

"Did you follow me or something?" I asked, shifting the wet bags in my hand. Thank God I opted for plastic.

"No, I saw that it was about to rain and noticed you didn't bring an umbrella," Mariah replied, shrugging her shoulders.

I squinted at her, sure that my pupils had dilated until they were practically slits, like a cat. She gave me an uneasy smile and I turned my gaze to the sidewalk in front of me, watching as one foot moved in front of the other. God, this was so awkward. What did she want anyway? She couldn't have been checking on me, we weren't _that_ close.

"Um…are you ok?" Mariah finally asked, breaking the silence.

"Yes, Mariah, I'm fine," I replied with as much exasperation as I could muster. Maybe she'd get the hint and leave me alone.

She sighed and looked down at her feet, still grasping the handle of the umbrella. Out of the corner of my eye I saw her biting her lip, which she only did when she was thinking hard about something. I prepared myself for whatever it was that was about to come out of her mouth. "I know why you're upset," she finally spoke up.

"Enlighten me," I sighed.

"It's the 7th," she stated.

"Thanks for that observation."

"May 7th. Today's the anniversary of your parents' death." I twisted my mouth to the side but didn't say anything although on the inside I was screaming. _How the hell did she know? _But I knew not to ask that question out loud, it would be stupid and redundant. She was there, of course she wouldn't forget when her own home got burned to the ground and they had to start all over again. But Ray had kept his mouth shut and surely he knew. Why'd she have to open hers? I kept my lips pressed together as I felt tears collect in the corner of my eyes at the very thought of the day but I managed to keep them from falling. There was nothing to cry about. I was over it. "You know, I miss them too."

"Huh," I muttered.

"They were a great contribution to the clan. Your father was one of the best bladers I've ever seen. And your mother was—"

"Mariah, _why_ are you talking about this?" I demanded.

"I'm just…trying to make you feel better," she replied.

"I feel _fine_!" I gripped the bags tighter trying not to let go and punch her in the face. "I don't even know why you care, we're not even friends!"

Mariah actually looked hurt at my exclamation. She knew we weren't friends so why was she hurt? We haven't been anywhere near friends when we first met. We always had this silent competition between us. I _still_ didn't even know why but my seven-year-old self wasn't going to back down from a challenge and my sixteen-year-old self wasn't going to do it either.

"I…_want_ to be your friend," she said.

I actually laughed at that. "Yeah right." I tried to walk faster but she grabbed my arm.

"I'm trying to be nice!" Mariah huffed, glaring at me, her pupils dilating. "I want to put this stupid fight behind us. I want us to be able to work together and be on the same team. I want you to be able to trust me. I want to be friends, Crys."

"But I don't, _Mao,_ and do you want to know why?" I could feel my blood boiling. If any raindrop landed on me it would probably evaporate instantly. "For _years_ you made fun of me, called me names, spread rumors about me, turned people against me, got me in trouble with our elders, stuck the blame on me, li—"

She stopped me by putting a hand over her mouth. "I know I've done those things. I was young and stupid and…jealous, ok?" She grumbled something and looked up at the lightened sky. "I was jealous of, well, a lot of things but—"

"You were jealous because I got Dricen and you didn't," I summed up for her. "You're the one to blame for that, Mariah." I remember that day well. Everyone knew about Driger and his twin, Dricen. White Tigers of the Elements, protectors of White Tiger Hills which were passed down through generations of the White Tiger Clan. I wasn't there to witness Ray getting Driger but Lee was considerably upset considering his own grandfather gave the White Tiger to his grandson's best friend. I had gotten Dricen before Ray, when I was seven actually, about a week before I got banished.

Dricen was passed down through generations. Eventually my mother found it and used Dricen as her own. When she retired from blading she gave Dricen to the Elder, passing over the responsibility of him deciding who it would go to. Mariah dared me to steal Dricen. Not wanting to be seen as a chicken, I did. I then battled against Lee and Ray and beat them but I couldn't control Dricen's power. Elder found out and I was put on blading probation as well as getting a massive grounding, but soon after he realized that Dricen belonged to me and we've been a team ever since.

And Mariah's hated me even more ever since.

"I know, I know!" She said, frustrated. "I'm trying to apologize and make things better, if you didn't notice!" She bristled.

"Look, I don't have time for this. I have to cook for this party of yours."

"Don't you get it? I'm throwing this party for you!"

I blinked. "What?"

She nodded rapidly, her hot pink ponytail bouncing. "I figured you'd need something to cheer you up considering the day and since you can't blade."

I shook my head and started walking away. The rain had stopped but the sky was still cloudly. I continued to shake my head, not bothering to look back at her. I was trying to dislodge what she said. I couldn't have friends, every friend I've ever had had been chased away or hurt by me and I didn't want it to happen again.

I _couldn't_ let it happen again.

* * *

"You take that back!" Hilary roared.

"Grandma! Grandma! Grandma!" Daichi taunted, sticking his tongue out at the steaming brunette.

"Zip it, Daichi, before I make you!" Tyson snarled.

I chuckled from the tree branch I was sitting on, overlooking the party. It was so obvious that Tyson had a thing for her, if only he'd actually grow up, realize it, and then admit it. But it was baby steps for Tyson and if it didn't have anything to do with Beyblading he was as slow as molasses in Alaska.

I wasn't planning on going to the party but after spending _hours_ cooking (which wouldn't have taken that long if Tyson didn't keep trying to sneak a taste of everything) I figured, what the heck? I could use a little fun in my life. And here was my entertainment for the night.

"Boy, you're no fun!" Daichi grumbled, crossing his arms over his chest. "You might as well eat and pass out on the couch, Grandpa." He then laughed out loud and pointed at the two. "Grandma and Grandpa! What a match!"

"_What did you just say_?" Tyson and Hilary bellowed, steam practically coming out of their ears and fire burned behind their eyes.

"Whoa, take it easy guys! He's just joking around," Miguel said, putting a hand on Tyson's shoulder. "He's just a kid, trying to get a rise out of you. Don't listen to him."

Tyson crossed his arms over his chest and grumbled, "Why don't you go bother Max or something?"

"Because he's too busy chasing after—"

_Great, Daichi, just great_! I rolled backwards and let go of the tree branch that I had been holding onto with my legs and easily dropped to the ground. _And that's my cue_. I tiptoed past the party and managed to reach the side of the dojo. I grasped the handle and slid the door open, letting out a little yelp when I almost ran into someone.

"Running away again?" Mariah asked, lifting her eyebrows.

"I have nothing and no one to run from so, technically, I'm not running," I replied, moving past her to get into the house.

She flung her arm out to stop me from walking. "When are you going to talk to me?"

"I don't have time for this. I have to focus on the upcoming matches." I pushed her arm out of the way and let out a long breath. I gathered up my hair into a ponytail in my hands before letting it go. Why did I ever let Mathilda convince me to wear my hair down?

I went to the freezer and stuck my arm all the way in until I found what I was looking for. I grabbed the small carton of strawberry ice cream with a grin. I found a clean spoon, sat down and scooped the cold treat into my mouth. Man, White Tiger Hills really needed to think about bringing in some of this dessert. They're really missing out.

"Ah, so this is where you're hiding," Tyson commented, coming into the room.

"I hardly call a kitchen a hiding place," I replied, grabbing a spoon and handing it to him. He eagerly dug into the ice cream container and pulled out a scoop. I looked at the nearly empty container and glared at him as he smiled innocently. "So who sent you to check on me? Ray? Max?"

"The girls," he replied, licking the pink residue off of his lips. "They just want to make sure you're ok. We all do. You're more…Kai-like than usual." He cracked a smile to show that he was teasing. I didn't smile and his faded. "That was a joke,"

"I know," I replied, tapping my spoon on the side of the carton.

Tyson put his pink glob back into the carton, wiped his mouth, and looked hard at me. "What's on your mind? And don't say nothing. You lie as badly as Ray does." Then he paused. "Actually, no, Ray is a worse liar."

I cracked a smile. "I'm just not in a party mood." I shrugged.

"_Everyone's_ in a party mood _always_. It's free food and games and music and time spent with your friends."

I squinted. "_Are_ we friends?"

He blinked. "Of course we are. I hope. I mean, you're the only girl blader I consider close to my league so that should mean something."

"Gee thanks."

"You're welcome. Now out with it, unless it has something to do with Maxie, then I'll—"

"God! It was just…gah! We're not attached at the hip!" I cried out, throwing my arms into the air.

"Hey, whoa. I never said anything," Tyson said, holding up his hands in defense. "But now it proves that something is bothering you."

"Ty, I just…it's…" I let out an annoyed breath. "Ok, I'm tired of this." I rubbed my forehead so I wouldn't have to look at him. "Today's…an anniversary of sorts…for my parents. Today's the day they were…killed."

"That's it?" Tyson asked, obviously confused.

"Waddya mean, _that's_ _it_?" I bristled. "It's pretty damn important."

"I know but…I kinda figured you would've moved on or at least had some closure. It's been about eight years, right? You can't let this control you. I've accepted that my mom is dead but you know what? I blade for her. I blade to make sure she's proud of me and you should do the same, blade for your parents. Trust me, it's the best driving force in the world." He looked up when he heard the sound of pots smashing. "Oh geeze, that better be Grandpa…"

"What if it was Daichi?" I asked, standing with him.

He grinned. "Then I'll have an excuse to lock him in the shed."

I laughed and slapped him on the arm before following him back out to the party. Mariah jumped when Tyson pulled the door open. Kevin looked sheepish and shoved a glass behind his back and grinned at me. I glared at him and he scurried off.

"Eavesdropping? Really?" I asked, lifting an eyebrow.

"I was trying to stop Kevin."

"You were being concerned," I corrected her. "And thanks," I mumbled quietly. I didn't want her to hear me but the smile on her face told me she did. Damn cat senses. "I mean thanks for…being a friend…"

"No problem, girlfriend!" She replied, suddenly perky again. "If you ever want to get away from the guys I know the best places to go."

I nodded. "Sounds good. Thanks. For the party and to try and cheer me up."

"You're welcome." She laughed. "You can stop thanking me now." A shiver rolled down my spine. "And you can stop _spying_ now." A few seconds later Ray dropped down from the top of the dojo. "Seriously, you gotta stop doing that."

"Just making sure I didn't have to stop a cat fight."

"Ha ha. We're fine. Better than fine. We're _friends _now, apparently." My eyes scanned the backyard until they rested on a blonde. "If you'll excuse me for a second…" I wove through the crowds and managed to dodge Emily's and Michael's bebyblades going at each other. I nudged Max's side and he paused in midsentence talking to Raul and gave me a bright smile.

"Hey." And almost instantly his smile faded as I struggled to find the words that have been bouncing around through my brain all day. "Is everything ok?" He asked, lightly putting a hand on my lower back.

A half smile formed on my face and I nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine." _I guess I'll just tell him once the tournament's over. No harm done._


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18**

I blinked open my eyes and stared at the ceiling of the dojo. In the next instant everything from the previous night went slamming into focus. The party was fun and filled with friendly competition. Tyson challenged Lee, Michael, and Miguel to a beybattle all at once and he won, of course, gloating to everyone who would listen to him. He was taken down a peg, however, when Hilary challenged him to a one-on-one basketball game. Who knew she was such a great ball player? You should've seen Tyson's face. Let's just say he was hurting.

Hanging out with Max put my mind at ease but I couldn't get over the guilt I was feeling. He was being so sweet to me that night, like he knew what was wrong, but I couldn't tell if it was because that's just who he is or if he was just flirting like Hilary said he does. I rubbed my forehead as I sat up. That's it, I will tell him today, definitely. No more beating around the bush.

I tilted my head to the side when Hilary stirred. "Can't sleep either?" I guessed.

"No," she replied and then sat up. She brought her hands to her knees and sighed. "I keep thinking about these battles; about what would happen if you all didn't win."

"Don't start being a pessimist," I said in a warning tone.

"I'm being realistic," she replied. "If you don't win then blaybading or whatever would be turned into a paid sport. Then what would Tyson and the others do? A big part of their lives would be taken away just like that and they wouldn't be happy anymore. I mean, this is what they live for. I mean, you all train months out of the year for a tournament that lasts…for two months? Two and a half? If that's all taken away…" she shook her head and let out a sigh. "It's just a game…"

"It is a game," I agreed. "But at the same time it's pure and something that doesn't need to be touched by corporations and sponsors and stuff." I paused and squinted at her.

Her eyes shifted as she laughed nervously. "What?"

"Since when do you care about Beyblading anway?" I questioned, lifting my eyebrow.

"Waddya mean? I don't care."

"I'm being serious, Hil. From what Tyson has been telling me you really did care. So much that you made fun for them for it but now you actually sympathize."

She shrugged. "I'm just trying to be supportive."

"Uh-huh. Which one are you trying to support the most?" I asked with a teasing grin. She grabbed her pillow and threw it at me. I managed to block it but it left my hands stinging slightly. For a girly girl she had a good arm. "No need to tell me. I all ready know you're crushing on Tyson."

Hilary sighed. "Tyson has matured and he's easier to talk to now but he's still a big-headed, pompous, chauvinistic…._boy_."

"Nice to know you pay attention to his anatomy." I ducked and dodged the other pillow that was thrown at me and laughed. "I'm just teasing you, geeze."

"Tyson and I just understand each other better now, that's all," she replied.

"Oh, so you're still crushing on Kai then."

A small smile formed on Hilary's face. "Kai's interesting. I would like to get to know him better. We _all_ would. They've known him longer than me and even they don't know much about him." Her smile faded and a faraway look came to her eyes. "It just makes me wonder why he's hiding and why he's so afraid to join his friends."

"I think its more pride than fear," I replied. "Kai is built on pride, it's what stops him from doing most things that are deemed…reasonable to us. I mean, I don't blame him, but he has to come to terms on his own that his pride is holding him back from being the very best he can be. We can't force him to come back."

Hilary sighed. "You're right."

"And he will come back. I know it. So stop worrying about him." Hilary glared at me. "I can see through you like a window. You're smitten. I just thank the Lord that you're not like one of his fangirls."

"Psh," Hilary scoffed and waved her hand. "You can't even compare me to those pom-pom wielding air-heads." She paused. "Ray's goin' today. How do you think he'll do?"

"It'll be close," I said honestly. "As long as his confidence doesn't sky rocket he'll be fine."

Hilary blinked. "What do you mean?"

"Ray can be extremely cocky," I replied. "So cocky that it's been his downfall a couple of times. But, at the same time, if he sympathizes with his opponent too much than he, subconsciously, goes easy on them. You heard about Crusher's reason to fight, if it gets to Ray we're done. As long as he gets in the zone and stays focused it'll be a pretty interesting match." I pushed back my covers and swung my feet to the floor, arching my back to stretch. Why did the mornings have to come so early?

"Yeah," Hilary agreed. "Come in," she called when she heard a knock on the door.

"I didn't think you'd be awake," Tyson commented, leaning in through the doorway.

"We didn't think _you'd_ be awake," Hilary shot back.

"Yeah. We didn't think you knew what six a.m. looked like," I agreed.

"We're going to get in some extra training before the match," Tyson explained. "You want in?"

"Nah, I'm good. I'll practice later on," I replied with a wave of my hand.

"Are you sure?" Tyson asked in a way that the look he was giving me spoke volumes about what he really wanted to ask.

"Yeah, Ty, I'm sure." I flashed him a smile. "Gotta see what tricks Boris has up his sleeve before I make my battle plan."

He paused. "You could be going up against Brooklyn or Garland and they're good. Scary good. Remember what happened to Tala?"

I shivered at the image of him lying helpless in the hospital bed that filled my head. "I better hope I get Mystel then, yeah?"

Tyson sighed. "Better hope Kai gets here in time."

* * *

By the time we got to the strategy room of the stadium the tension surrounding us practically suffocated me. I stepped into the hall to clear my head and shake the nerves that suddenly had me seized. What if I had to go against Garland or Brooklyn? I've never fought anyone as strong as them before and they were scary good. They not only totaled Wolborg but they thrashed Tala. If they could do that to him, they could probably put me in a shiny black box.

"You ok?" I almost jumped out of my skin as Mariah laughed. I looked up and saw Kevin, Gary, and Lee walk down the hall. "What's up?"

"The tension in the room," I replied, jerking my head back in the direction of the room. "Everyone's putting pressure on Ray without actually saying anything but it's enough to get them all nervous."

"I'm sure Ray will be fine," Mariah stated. I fought the urge to roll my eyes.

"Well, he must've heard Crusher's sob-story by now," Kevin sighed, crossing his arms over his chest.

"What does that have anything to do with it?" Mariah hissed.

"Chill, 'Riah," I told her, putting a hand on my hip. "You know Ray as well as we do. Any sob story that reaches his ears and he instantly feels bad for the person. It's human nature for him but it also effects his beyblading. I mean, he always went easy on us whenever we bladed him until we told him to take us seriously."

"She's right. Crusher's story could get to his head," Lee agreed.

"Have some faith in him!" Mariah snapped, clenching her hands into fists. "Ray wouldn't let something like that get to him. Don't forget he's a White Tiger and we White Tigers know how to blade with the odds stacked against us."

"Are you sure you're not the president of his fanclub?" I asked, squinting at her.

She crossed her arms over her chest. "Ray needs our support now more than ever and we should give it to him."

"Yeah, you're right," Gary agreed.

"We're just worried about him, that's all," Kevin sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "He's going against such a huge guy. The odds are stacked against him all ready."

"He's gotten out of trickier situations," Lee pointed out.

"You see? Ray will do his best," Mariah said happily while winking. "And that's all we can ask from him."

"Thank you for the support, Mariah," Ray commented as he left the room.

She beamed and nodded. "Sure."

"You're like a little puppy, I swear," I told her, poking her in the side.

"At least I'm not a scaredy-cat," she shot back out of the corner of her mouth.

"Low blow, Wong, low blow."

"We should get to our seats. Good luck, man," Lee said to Ray.

Ray nodded. "Thanks, my friend."

Everyone else left the room and we walked down a separate hall to get to the floor. The voices of the audience got louder and louder as we got closer to the doors. Tyson paused and I almost ran into him. A few security guards lifted his eyebrows at Tyson but they didn't say anything.

"I feel like we're betting our lives," Tyson muttered.

"More like our souls," I corrected him. Ray shot me a fierce look. "What? I was just joking, geeze."

"It's all for a good cause, dude," Ray told him.

"Yeah. I'd rather lose than let them walk on by and change everything," Max agreed.

"Max is right, we're doing the right thing," Kenny said as she adjusted his glasses on top of his head.

"What're we standing here blabbering about? Let's get this beybattle started!" Daichi said as she punched his fist into the air.

Tyson smiled and, with that, he pushed open the doors and we walked out onto the stadium floor. Our ears were met with cheers and jeers as we walked over to our bench. Almost automatically Ray went into meditation mode and Kenny set up his laptop. I cringed when I recognized the Ming-Ming song that was playing over the loudspeakers and it obviously didn't only bother me.

"I knew I should've entered the competition! Only a girl could beat that blue haired, baby-voiced brat!" Hilary yelled as she attacked the towel that was in her hands. I laughed as Max sighed.

"Give it a rest, Hilary. Just face the facts that Ming-Ming and Daichi fought an awesome fight and she won the match fair and square."

"_What_!?" Hilary cried out.

"Yeah, Ty. I mean, before you were spewing out some stuff about Boris cheating," I agreed.

"He hasn't shown any signs of cheating yet," he sighed.

"Aside from getting robots to fight for him?"

Just then DJ Jazzman started speaking up about Crusher's abilities and why he got into beyblading and stuff. It was then that I realized how big the guy actually was.

"I'd be terrified to go against that guy," Hilary said as she looked over at him, practically voicing my own thoughts. "He's so big. He could snap me like a toothpick if he wanted to."

"Guys like that are all big softies," I said as I shook my head. I turned to Ray and added, "But that shouldn't be a reason for you to easy on him."

"What kind of blader do you take me for?" He asked in an offended tone finally opening his eyes. "I don't go easy on anyone."

"I know what she means though, dude," Tyson said slowly. "Sometimes you do let your feelings get in the way of Beyblading."

"When we were younger you used to always go easy on me just because I wasn't that experienced," I added. "Well, you did that until I threatened to hurt you."

"Trust me on this one, guys," Ray said in a calm tone. "I won't go easy on him or any of the other BEGA bladers or Boris. I won't be able to accept the fact that he's trying to turn Beyblade form a sport of hobby to a paid sport."

As Tyson and Max spoke to Ray to prepare him for his match I just sat there, listening to them, and admiring how much Ray had grown over the years as a person and as a blader. Ever since we were younger he's been the first one to start training and the last one to come in for dinner. He trained hard every day as long as he had time and he didn't hold back in his battles. He was one fierce competitor and he's only gotten more fierce, wise, and skilled as he grew up.

When we were younger he was always the first one to help a new batch of beybladers get started and to love the sport as he much as he did. He was the one who got me to love Beyblading. Not because I liked the feeling of being able to defeat opponents and learn from them, but because I vowed to beat him one day because to me, ever since we were young, he's been my rival of sorts.

"Crystal." I looked up when Ray addressed me and saw that he was standing in front of me. "If I lose…" he started. "Don't think any less of me."

"I would never," I said as I shook my head at his statement. "And don't talk like that. You have to believe in yourself, Kon. If you don't, then Driger won't, then you might as well kiss your bitbeast goodbye."

I saw him flinch slightly and I knew I struck a nerve. Ray lost Driger twice and I knew that he wasn't ready to lose him again. To Ray, Driger wasn't just his bitbeast, he was his partner and one of Ray's best friends, if that makes sense. The two have been together through a lot of things and Driger always has Ray's back. It only proves that bitbeasts are more human than we think.

"I'll keep that in mind," he said. Tyson and the others gave him encouragement and he walked up to the dish. I scanned over the others that sat on the bench and fear weighed down on my heart at the bladders that were left.

_Please, Kai, please come._

All of us were on the edge of our seats as we watched the match. With Ray's strategy he kept absorbing Crusher's power and sending it right back at him. I was surprised each and every time Crusher came out unscathed. Even Dricen would be limping by now, there was no way Crusher could survive those attacks but he came out stronger than before.

Tyson tensed next to me as Ray and Crusher continued to fight, giving it all they had. His knuckles started to turn white from clenching the bench so hard. I was afraid his head was going to explode 'cause it didn't seem like he was breathing.

The beydish crumbled as Ray and Crusher gave it their all and in the end Crusher won. I could feel my heart breaking a bit. Ray fought well and that should be the only thing that mattered but…it was getting close and the pressure that Max must be feeling now should've been thick. But I needed to know who he was up against to see if we even stood a chance should I have to fight.

"It looks like the matchup is Max and…Mystel," Kenny announced.

Max and Hilary gasped and my heart rammed against my chest. "Which means I'm against either Garland or Brooklyn," I summed up with a sigh.

"W…We can switch, right?" Max asked, looking at Kenny. "She should fight Mystel."

I glared. "Don't pity me, Tate. I can take care of either of 'em. As long as Dricen has my back."

"Are you sure?" Tyson asked.

I nodded and clutched Dricen tight in my palm, feeling the spikes on his attack ring pressing into my fingers. "Trust me."

_Heh. If only I could convince myself._


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter Nineteen**

I looked at Dricen.

The sun reflected off of the metallic blue parts on my blade as if winking at me. Mariah bent down to pick up Galux who had easily been knocked out of the dish.

Then I sighed.

"C'mon, you have to do better than that!" I scolded her. I put Dricen back on my launcher and then crossed my arms over my chest. Right after Ray's battle we had come back to the park so Max and I could get more practice in. Max had finished about a half hour ago and then it was my turn. I went against Raul, Gary, Kevin, Miguel, and Michael and beat them (it wasn't easy, it was very close most of the time, those guys don't mess around).

Then Mariah, I guess wanting to prove something to herself, went against me a few times but each time Dricen knocked her out faster than the last. It was easy to see that she was getting frustrated but it was frustrating me more that she was giving up so easily.

She huffed and crossed her arms over her chest. "Galux and I are doing the best we can."

"You have to do better than this! Hell, I've _seen_ you better than this." I kicked at a rock that was by my foot and pushed my bangs out of my eyes. "Garland and Brooklyn are a helluva lot tougher than this. I need a challenge if I'm going to stand even a slight chance against them."

Mariah's cheeks puffed up.

"Now, now, there's no need to get angry at each other, _children_," Ray commented where he was sitting.

"Put your blade where your mouth is then." I growled.

He lifted an eyebrow. "I'm not blading you."

"Why? You chicken?"

"No, but you're not thinking rationally and you'd lose."

Oh no he did _not_.

"Why you—"

"He _has_ a point," Kenny interrupted me before I began my tirade. Smart man, that Chief. "With your stress levels and anxiety you wouldn't be able to control your blade the way you'd need to to beat Garland and Brooklyn, let alone one of them."

"In short: relax," Max added.

"I _am_ relaxed!" I snapped, crossing my arms over my chest.

"I'm the one blading next, _I_ should be nervous."

"Why aren't you?" Tyson asked him, sitting up on the hill he had just been lying down on.

Max shrugged. "I have faith in Draciel and I know we can do it. As long as we do our best we'll be fine."

"Yeah, but Mystel's pretty tough," Lee spoke up. "He can jump really high and he has the best agility I've ever seen. I've never seen anyone move so fast."

"Draciel and I can handle it."

"But can your defenses hold up for so long?" Kevin asked.

"Yeah. Mystel attacks with everything he has at every angle. Who's to say that your defensive style will hold up long enough?"

Max let out a sharp breath. Surely they could see that it bugged him that they didn't have any faith in him. And they were supposed to be his friends too.

"Are _any_ of you going to fight me?" I demanded, tapping my foot. "I can't get better without competition."

"Maybe you should rest," Hilary suggested. I shot her a look. "I mean, why don't we have some dinner first? Can't blade on an empty stomach, right?"

"She has a point," Tyson agreed, smiling and licking his lips.

I rolled my eyes. "Julia? Mathilda? Any of you want to blade?" I asked, losing my patience.

"Not when you're so uptight, chica," Julia laugh.

"Yeah, why don't you relax a little?" Mathilda chimed in.

"I don't think you understand the severity of these upcoming matches," I muttered as I rubbed my right temple with my free hand.

"We understand perfectly, we're just saying you need to relax and clear your mind before you make a stupid mistake. You wouldn't want to do the same thing in the ring when it really counts," Raul jumped in. Always the peacemaker, that one. Wonder how he lives with Julia as his twin. "So why don't we all go back to the dojo and eat a bit and then you can do it again."

"You guys can go, I'm staying," I replied.

"Tally," Tyson started.

"Ty, I know what I'm doing. I'll be back within in the hour."

"But—"

"Unless _you_ would rather fight me than eat."

"See ya."

"That's what I thought."

"I'll stay," Max offered.

I cut my eyes at him. "You don't have to."

"Aww, isn't that sweet? Lover Boy wants to make sure you're ok," Julia teased me, pinching my cheek.

"Knock it off, Jules," I muttered, slapping her hands away. Seriously, this whole Max thing was getting _waaaay_ outta hand. I shoulda never said yes.

"You two love birds need a night alone, that's all right, we all understand."

"I'm warning you!"

"Oooh, getting a little touchy, eh?"

"Just go, _please_!" If she talked to me like that one more time she'd be eating her own teeth. I waited until I was sure they were all gone and looked Dricen over. Letting out a sigh, I ran my free hand through my hair. "What in the world have we gotten ourselves into, Drice'?" I muttered. I put my blade back on my launcher and held it out, ready to launch it into the dish.

"What's up, Kitten?"

I faltered slightly and tensed as Kaoru landed on the ground in front of me, a smirk playing on his lips. "Kaoru," I hissed.

"Glad you still know my name," he muttered with an eye roll and then reached behind his back. "It's been a while. Gotta see if you've gotten any better."

"Leave me alone."

He lowered his arms a little bit and lifted his eyebrows. "Right, because telling me to leave you alone is actually going to make me."

"I don't have time for this." I lowered my launcher and turned to walk away. I jumped back when Kaoru landed in front of me and grabbed my shoulder, his nails biting into my shoulders.

"If you want to stand a chance against Brooklyn or Garland you'll _make_ time!" He hissed, his dark eyes burning into mine.

"Get out of my face!" I swung my arm at him but he easily jumped back and out of the way.

"I'm trying to help you."

"Yeah, right!" I angrily launched Dricen at him. He quickly put his ripcord into his blade and launched his own.

The two blades smashed against each other in midair before falling to the ground. Dricen easily caught his ground and went after Kaoru's blade. "That's it, Drice', don't hold back," I ordered. This match would be over in a few seconds and I could get his guy out of my hair. I crossed my arms over my chest and waited for Dricen to knock Kaoru's blade into the water so I could focus again. "Huh," I muttered. Dricen seemed to be slowing down, not by much but it was noticeable. I crinkled my eyebrows and looked up at Kaoru who was staring intently at me. "Dude, stop looking at me and blade!" I snarled. This guy was really workin' on my last nerve.

He merely smiles and I turned my attention back to Dricen. I could feel my blood pumping and hear Dricen's faint yowls of determination as he reared back and charged again. I clenched my teeth when Kaoru got away. _Why's he going so slow? He can do better than this!_ I clenched my hands into fists. "C'mon Dricen, use your Mecca Claw."

Dricen backed off and spun faster as a bright blue light shot out of my blade and he appeared in front of me. Letting out a yowl, he ran forward, the claws extending slightly on his right front paw. Once he was close enough to Kaoru's blade he leapt high into the air and came down, his claws extended.

"Yes! Nice job!" I cheered once Dricen landed a hit on Kaoru's blade.

Kaoru clenched his teeth as his blade bounced backwards. The attack ring touched the ground slightly as his blade got back up and charged towards Dricen. "You're going to have to better than that if you want to beat BEGA."

"Are you against me or on my side?" I demanded.

"I'm helping you."

"That wasn't one of the choices."

"I don't play by the rules."

I scoffed. "No, really? You practically broke my arm getting that point across."

"Didn't think a little battle would deter you."

"It didn't! It made me stronger."

"So put your blade where your mouth is."

"Gladly! Dricen, _Ice Blades!_" Snow white wings appeared on Dricen's back and each feather turned into a shard of ice. With a flap of his wings the ice shards were sent flying at Kaoru's blade. My grin got wider with each strike of ice on his blade. When Kaoru managed to dodge them, Dricen flapped his wings again and a wall of ice blocked him. "Dricen, send that blade flying!" I ordered. _This battle is over_. Dricen backed up and slapped into the wall, sending the shards flying everywhere. They struck Kaoru's blade repeatedly, not giving him time to get out of the way. I could feel Dricen's happiness and smiled. Then Kaoru started laughing. "That the hell's so funny?" I demanded.

"You," he replied simply.

"What's so funny about me?"

"You can't underestimate everyone," he said calmly. And then his eyes seemed to dilate. "Raging Darkness!"

"Wha-?" Suddenly the temperature dropped. I could see my breath in front of my face. I looked around as everything around me slowly turned black and then we were standing in darkness, our blades still attacking each other. "What'd you do?" I demanded. My voice echoed in the vast place. My knees knocked at the cold. I looked over at Kaoru who didn't seem affected by it at all. "Kaoru! What'd you do?" I repeated.

He grinned. "I'm helping you, like I said." His blade smashed against Dricen and I grabbed my arm in pain. It felt like someone had jabbed a hot needle in my arm. "What? That hurt? Aw, poor baby," he teased as his blade smashed Dricen again. I grabbed my arm tighter when I felt another jab.

And another.

And _another._

I dropped to a knee and squeeze my eyes shut. Dricen was roaring in pain, the haunting sound echoed around me. I opened my eyes a bit and saw that Kaoru's blade was moving fast. _Too_ fast. There were many copies of him, I could barely keep my eyes on his blade as Dricen was hit from all sides.

"N-no!" I gasped. "Stop!"

"You can't beg for forgiveness in the stadium. They won't care. They'll hack you to pieces," Kaoru called to me. "Come on. _Get up_ _and fight_!"

I managed to get back onto my feet, swaying slightly and panting a little. With every hit my energy drained. I gritted my teeth as Dricen started to wobble. "Hang in there, Drice'. We can do it. Go, Frozen Tundra, now!"

Dricen shook his head and charged forward, the glow on my blade getting a bit brighter. I watched as Dricen seemed to melt into a puddle and then move underneath Kaoru's blade. The puddle reached up and froze around his blade as Dricen jumped up from the ground and smashed into Kaoru's blade.

"_No way_!" I gasped once I finally noticed the large looming creature above Dricen. It looked like a gryphon with black, cloud like wings and sharp talons on its paws. "What is that thing?"

Kaoru smirked. "Your worst nightmare."

I managed an eyeroll. "That's cheesy."

"I'm not joking. _Raging Darkness_!"

_But he can't—_

_"Mommy, can I come too_?"

I gasped and took a step back at the voice that reached my ears. All of a sudden Kaoru and his blade were engulfed in the darkness and two figures wrapped in bright white light appeared in front of me. "_No!_" I yelled as the scene unraveled in front of me.

"_Please, mommy, please?"_ _a little girl begged, tugging at the end of her mother's apron._

"Wha…what is this? Kaoru, knock it off!" I yelled but my words fell into empty space.

_The woman chuckled and shook her head. "Sorry, sweetie. Your father and I have to leave the village for the night. But you can stay with Mariah."_

_The little girl stuck out her tongue. "I hate her. All she likes to do is follow Lee and Ray around and pick flowers. She doesn't want to do anything fun."_

_"Now, Cai, Mariah is a sweet little girl. We won't be gone for long, we'll return a few hours after you go to sleep." She knelt and pressed a kiss to her daughter's forehead. "Now, run along. I'll see you later, my xiaomao."_

"STOP!" I yelled. The two figures in front of me shattered and seemed to dissolve in thin air. I could feel the tears slipping down my cheeks and then it was a whirlwind. The laughter, the sound of the rushing river, fighting with Mariah, beyblades grinding together, and the crickets chirping at night. And then the burning smell hit me. And I was young again, staring down at the dead bodies of my mother and father, wondering why they had to protect me. They could've spared their lives.

Then the scene changed. A little girl was kneeling on a floor, biting her lip and crying. A loud crack filled the air and she winced, the tears falling faster. I let out a cry of pain, the feeling of fire spread across my back and I dropped to my knees.

_"I'm sorry. I won't do it again."_

_CRACK!_

_"I promise! Please, stop!"_

_CRACK!_

_"I'll do better."_

_"See to it that you do."_

A shiver rolled down my spine. It was hard to breathe. Dricen's cries were getting weaker and weaker. _Dricen… _"Dricen!" I yelled. Everything shattered. The darkness disappeared and I was at the park again. Kaoru was staring at me; a shadow of a smile was on his face. Dricen was wobbling badly, any longer and he would've fallen over.

I couldn't let that happen.

"How…how _dare_ you!" I hissed, glaring at the ground. "How dare…you bring up my memories. How dare you try and use them against me!" I put a hand on my knee and used the rest of my energy to get to my feet. I swayed so badly I was surprised I didn't fall over. "Going through that…only made me stronger. Strong enough to defeat you, and BEGA, and Boris, and anyone who tries to jeopardize the name of beyblading."

I could feel new energy coursing through my veins. Blood rushed in my ears and Dricen let out an energized roar as he stopped wobbling and spun on the stop. _Yeah, the white tiger is back_! "_Arctic Strike!"_ Everything around us turned black again and Dricen disappeared into the darkness.

"_What?_" Kaoru gasped.

I smirked as a barrage of ice shards attacked his blade and then Dricen appeared, attacking his bitbeast with all four paws, the claws digging into the body of his bitbeast. Both bitbeasts returned to the blades as they retreated and smashed into each other.

I covered my face with my arms to protect my eyes from the flying dust. Once it cleared I squinted and grinned at the light that bounced off of Dricen's metallic blade as Kaoru's lay still on its side. Kaoru reached down and picked up his blade.

"You're ready," was all he said before he disappeared.

I stumbled forward a bit and picked Dricen up, smiling at his image that was frozen on the bitchip.

"Thank you…my friend," I mumbled.

Then everything tilted and faded to black. I don't know how long I was out but the next thing I knew I felt something continually tap my cheek. Without opening my eyes I reached up and swatted at whatever it was. "Leave me alone," I grumbled. The thing hit my cheek again and I finally opened my eyes, only to have dark red (or were they purple?) eyes staring back at me.

"Are you ok?" Kai asked and he leaned back.

I nodded and tried to sit up but I couldn't put any weight on my arms. Kai gently pushed on my back until I was sitting up. Then I looked around and noticed that I was in a _very _large and well decorated room. A giant chandelier hung from the ceiling and illuminated the rounded room that overlooked the beach.

"Where am I?" I asked and rubbed my forehead, grimacing at the throbbing pain. Kai didn't answer. He turned to the table that was behind him and picked up two pills and a glass of water. He silently held them out to me and I thanked him with a nod, popping the pills into my mouth and swallowed them with a big gulp of water. "This is your place, isn't it?" I asked, handing the glass back. He nodded. "It's beautiful."

"Thanks." He stood and walked over to the small table that held a phone and picked it up while pressing a button. He tapped his fingers on the small table as he waited for someone on the other end to pick up. "I need you to bring a car around," he stated as soon as someone picked up the phone. "Thanks." He hung up and let out a little sigh.

"Did you get those from Brooklyn?" I asked, nodding towards the scrapes and cuts on his arms as well as his slightly tattered clothes.

He nodded again. "That's why you can't fight him."

"Excuse me?" I lifted my eyebrows. "I can fight anyone I want."

"Hn. Brooklyn's fight is _my_ fight and I won't let you fight for me."

I crossed my arms over my chest. "How do you plan on stopping me?" A grim look formed on his face. "You're coming back to the team?" I asked.

"I need my revenge. I will _not_ be defeated."

"Master Kai, your car is ready," a man with graying hair and a monocle said as he appeared in the door way.

"Hn. Let's go."

I jumped up and followed him as best as I could through the large rooms to the big foyer and out the door. I paused and looked up at the large house as the engine ran on the car. I turned around and got in as the driver closed the door. Kai leaned in through the window and handed a piece of paper to the driver.

"I better see you at the stadium," I said in my best warning tone.

And then I swore I saw Kai smile.

* * *

"Where have you been, Cat Girl? The homies were staring to form a search party, dawg," Grandpa Granger commented as soon as I slid open the door of the dojo, which was a task in its own. My arms were killing me. Kaoru really packed a number on me.

"Sorry about that," I apologized with a small smile. "I got held up."

"Man, you've look like you've been through the wringer, dudette."

I laughed a little. "Something like that." I managed to pull off my shoes and drop them by the door. "Is there any dinner left?"

He nodded. "But you'll want to get there fast before Tyson eats it all first."

"Thanks." I moved my tired legs in the direction of the kitchen where raised voices were coming from. Max and Tyson were arguing about something, which was odd. Max and Tyson were best friends; they hardly raised their voices at each other. The pressure must be getting to them. _Poor boys._ "What're you guys fighting about?" I asked as I pushed my way into the kitchen.

"You're back!" Hilary cheered before rushing over and crushing me in a hug.

"Ow, ow, ow! Hilary—let go!" I cried out, managing to push her away.

"What happened to you? Here—sit down," she said, grabbing my arm and leading me over to the table where she pushed me into a chair and then moved around the kitchen, looking for something.

"I ran into Kaoru," I replied.

"I knew you shouldn't have gone off by yourself," Ray commented.

"I'm fine." I rolled my eyes. "Anyway, Kaoru didn't attack me if that's what you're thinking. He kinda…helped me." Now that the words came out of my mouth it was weird. Kaoru actually _helping_ me didn't sit right, but that's what he said he was doing and it was the first genuine sounding thing that ever came out of his mouth.

"What do you mean, 'helped' you?" Tyson asked with finger quotes. "He could've been spying for Boris, seeing your battle strategies to use against you to make us lose!" He jabbed a finger in my face.

I grabbed his finger and twisted it a bit as he cried out in pain. "Are you going to listen to me now?" I demanded.

"Yes, just let go of my hand!"

"Hahaha! Wow, Tyson, getting hurt by a girl," Daichi laughed. "It couldn't have hurt that much, you wuss."

"Oh yeah, waddyou know?" Tyson yelled at him.

"I know I'm not some sort of baby who gets pushed around by a girl."

"You take that back you little monkey boy!"

"Tyson got beat by a girl! Tyson got beat by a girl!"

"Ignore them," Max said with a wave of his hand. "What do you mean by he helped you?"

I jumped at the sting when Hilary pressed a wet washcloth against my cheek. She laughed a little and continued to wipe the blood from my scrapes. "I never felt power like I did today when Dricen and I fought him. Dricen was almost out but…I don't know, something triggered in him and he was able to beat Kaoru with one last attack. I've never seen Dricen as fierce as that before."

"So…what does that mean?" Ray asked.

"That _means_ I'm sure we stand a chance against them now," I replied. "Max either has to win or tie them so we can move on, which I'm confident he'll do. If I can find a way to tap into that power again Garland or Brooklyn will be easier to stand against. It doesn't mean the whole match will be easy but it'll make it easier on me and maybe give me a chance." I then noticed the doubtful look on Ray's face. "It's the only chance I have."

"Assuming Max wins."

"Thanks for that vote of confidence," Max said sarcastically.

Ray cracked a grin and punched Max on the arm. "You know what I mean."

"Yeah, I do. But don't worry, Draciel and I will take care of everything."

"Now that that's settled," I mumbled, rubbing my grumbling stomach. "Have you eaten all ready?"

"No, not yet. Tyson and Daichi practically killed each other while waiting. I think they want to kill you for making them wait," Ray commented dryly.

"Considering I wanted to practice more I think Tyson'll understand." I got to my feet and stretched. "I'll be right back, I have to go to the bathroom." I said the last part more in Hilary's direction. It took her a second to get it but she did and followed me out of the kitchen and back into our room.

"What's up?" She asked.

"I saw Kai," I replied.

She gasped and quickly covered her mouth. "You saw _Kai_?" She repeated. "Where? How is he?"

"I guess I passed out after the battle with Kaoru and he found me. I woke up at his house and—"

"You were at his _house_? He _helped_ you?"

I squinted. "Is that tone of surprise or jealousy?"

She glared. "Surprise. Kai…Kai doesn't help people. I don't even think the word's in his vocabulary." She paused. "What's his house like."

"Huge," I replied, shaking my head "Big bay windows and a large chandelier. And that was just the sitting room."

"Doesn't surprise me, being the heir to Hiwatari Enterprises and all. But how was he doing?"

I sighed. "He's really broken. It was like he was dead inside. It was really creepy and he tried to convince me to get out of blading against Garland or Brooklyn so he could do it."

"He's coming back?" She asked happily, her eyes shining.

I shrugged. "No clue, it could just be all talk but that's not like Kai. But I don't want to keep my hopes up."

"I know what you mean." She paused. "So Kai was actually _concerned_ about you?"

I laughed. "You know, green really doesn't suit you."

She slapped my arm and rolled her eyes.

We went through dinner which was pretty tense as the night continued on. Everyone was tense about the idea of the next day's battle. It was water vs water so it wasn't like Mystel had the upper hand and we could tell Max everything we knew about Mystel which, admittedly, wasn't much.

Afterwards I took a very much needed bath and let my mind wander. _What's Kaoru's purpose of following me around? He says he's not working for Boris but he's not on our side either. I can feel it in my bones. So what does he want from me? If he wanted Dricen he could've easily taken him a while ago instead of help me get stronger. So why did he…?_

I let out a groan of annoyance. This wasn't getting me anywhere. The only way I'd actually get answers would be from Kaoru himself and I knew he wouldn't tell me anything. I pulled the plug in the top, dried off, and changed into my pajamas. My muscles were still aching and I could feel my eyelids dropping in drowsiness.

_Boy, what a day._

"Hey."

I looked up and forced a smile. "Hey Max, I figured you'd be asleep by now."

"It's hard to fall asleep when Tyson sleeps before you," he said with a small laugh."He snores like a bulldozer."

I chuckled. "Yup, he's practically out like a light once he's eaten." I tilted my head. "What'd you want to talk about?" He blinked. "I can tell you have a question."

"I just wanted to know how you're feeling? About the matches I mean."

"I'm surprised you're not more worried about yourself. The pressure would surely get to me."

"I'm trying not to think about it. I'm more worried about you, having to face Garland or Brooklyn."

"They'll be the toughest I've gone against but Dricen and I will do the best I can and the rest is up to skill," I admitted. _Better get this over with…_ "Hey. Has Tyson been ridding you lately?"

Max blinked. "Well, he's been on a little rampage about the whole tournament but I guess it's just the pressure talking."

"No I meant…about us."

Max looked thoughtful. "Well, he _has_ been harping on me a bit but I'm guessing that's only because he's jealous that he hasn't kissed a girl yet."

"Whoa, Tyson hasn't kissed a girl yet?" I laughed.

He smiled. "Are you really that surprised?"

"No one would be able to get near him with that huge head."

He suddenly stopped in mid laugh. "Wait, _that's_ why you've been acting weird lately? 'Cause of that one date we had? Let me guess, the girls are bugging you about it, right?" I didn't even get a chance to say anything when he started laughing.

"I fail to see the humor," I grumbled.

"It's just…you don't strike me as the type of person to care what others think."

"I don't!" I quickly denied.

"Right." He nodded and, even though he had a smile on his face I could see sadness in his eyes. I dropped my head. _Great. __Way to go, Crys, you screwed up a great friendship._ "Hey." I slowly lifted my head to look at him. "You should have your mind on the matches, not on us. And if they _really_ want to know, just 'cause we went on _one date_ doesn't mean we're _dating_." He offered up a smile but it didn't light up his whole face like it usually did.

But at least he was trying. Now I'd just have to find a way to make this guilt go away.

"Yeah." I turned to walk down the hall to go back to my room but stopped. "Early practice tomorrow?" I asked.

He nodded, smiled, and added jokingly, "It's a date."


	20. Chapter 20

**Twenty-Eight**

The sun was high in the seemingly endless blue sky which was a richer blue than I've seen in the past couple of days. There wasn't a single cloud in sight and the screams of laughter from children filled the air. I tried to ignore them as I walked down the street in the direction of Tyson's dojo but it was too hard. I envied them. Their lives were so simple, being able to run around and not worry about their lives changing just yet. I just hoped they didn't have to grow up too fast.

Not like me.

Shaking my head, I continued on my way to Tyson's dojo, not really knowing what to expect. I didn't really know how the guys acted under pressure and if I was feeling it then I knew that they'd be feeling it as well, if not stronger than me.

I took a short cut down a street lined with cherry blossom trees that hung over me like a canopy which let sunlight in in little streaks. How could something so beautiful exist in a world that could possibly be changed for the rest of our lives? It didn't seem possible and yet, it was still here. I closed my eyes and tried to keep the soak in everything, trying to keep in the memory of simpler times while telling myself to stay as calm as possible. Panicking or worrying wasn't going to do much to help today. I just had to put all my faith in Tyson and hope that everything would come out the way we wanted it to happen.

Turning the corner, I finally found myself walking down the street that held Tyson's place. His large dojo loomed in the close distance and towered over me as I walked through the very large space where the double doors usually remained open. I was glad that Grandpa didn't try and surprise me with an attack with his kendo stick this time. My nerves were so on edge I didn't think I'd be responsible for my actions in response to his attack.

Remembering to kick off my shoes before entering the Granger dojo, I pulled open the door to the vast training room that we held our meetings in. I was surprised to see that Ray, Daichi, Kenny, Max, and Tyson were still fast asleep.

_ If Kai were here he would've had them up at the crack of dawn,_ I mused while tucking my hair behind my ears. I placed my hands on my hips and twisted my mouth to the side while debating whether or not I should wake them up or let them continue to sleep. Knowing them they stayed up all night thinking of ever possible outcome for this battle and how they had a plan to cover every situation.

I decided to leave them so they could sleep in a little bit longer. It was better to be well rested, after all. I walked quietly as I could to the kitchen to prepare the pancakes that Tyson wanted. As I was getting out the ingredients for breakfast Grandpa walked in, carrying his kendo stick, like always.

"Well good morning, dudette. Didn't expect you here bright and early," Grandpa commented.

"I'm usually up with the sun," I replied. "And Tyson asked for his good luck pancakes so I figured I might as well humor him since it's an important day today."

"I don't think you dawgs have anything to worry about," Grandpa stated.

"Oh? And why's that?"

"Because you homies have the spirit!" He replied with a laugh. "And, sometimes, that's all you need." I didn't even get a chance to say anything as he left the room, most likely to chop some wood or to practice his kendo moves.

I smiled at his words. It was amazing how alike he and Tyson really were, they both had the passion and positive mentality that helped them go far. It was very endearing. I brushed my hair behind my ears and got to work on breakfast. I put kept my concentration on the pancakes so I wouldn't think about the upcoming mat too much but it didn't work that well. I was just too worried. Boris was about to take away the only thing I had left that reminds me of my parents. How could one not worry?

While I mixed the batter in a bowl I felt the hair on my neck stand up. A second later the familiar scent of lilacs reached her nose. "Hey guys, what brings you here so early?" I asked while turning around, tucking the bowl under my arm. "Huh?" I muttered when I noticed the White Tigers standing behind me. Lee's jaw was set, Gary was holding Kevin over his shoulder, and Mariah was shuffling from foot to foot while looking at the ground. "What's going on?"

"Gary." That's all Lee said but he said it in a way that we all knew meant he meant business. I lifted an eyebrow and my mixing slowed down a little as Gary set Kevin down on the ground and I saw the disgruntled look on the kid's face.

"What did Kevin do this time?" I asked.

"Tell her, Kevin," Lee ordered. Kevin looked up from the floor. He turned his violet eyes to me, then to Lee, back at me, and then to the ground again while shaking his head. "Kevin, tell her before I make you!" Lee growled.

"Lee, your tone's not needed!" I said firmly, glancing in his direction.

"I'm not the bad guy, here," Lee protested. "Don't get upset with me."

"I'm not upset with anyone, I just want to know what's going on," I explained.

"Lee, just calm down," Mariah said while lightly grabbing her brother's arm. "There's no point in getting upset." Lee grumbled something under his breath and crossed his arms over his chest. I shook my head. He got too riled up too fast over nothing. If he wants to be a captain one day he has to learn to calm down.

"Now, Kevin, what is it that you did?" I asked as kindly as possible. Being patient with him was the only way you could go or else he'd just take whatever information he had and run away with it. He was a sneaky little fellow who lived to get on others' nerves. If only Lee would remember that.

"I…mhmmfm," Kevin muttered.

I blinked. "What'd you say?"

"I took…mhmffmm."

"I'm sorry, I didn't catch that."

"He took your diary!" Lee practically exploded. He roughly grabbed Kevin by his upper arm and yanked a leather-bound book out from behind his back and then tossed it to me. "He had it this morning. I caught him reading it."

"I would've told her!" Kevin argued, trying to pull his arm out of Lee's grasp.

"Yeah, on your death bed!"

"Lee, let him go!" I ordered.

"You're not even going to punish him at all?" Lee asked in disbelief.

"Kevin deserves a punishment for taking what doesn't belong to him but you can't react in such a way," I explained, putting the bowl and my diary down. Lee let out a growl, much like a lion's growl. I rolled my eyes. He was being such a drama queen about the whole thing. Turning to Kevin I looked him in the eye. "Kevin, you know taking what isn't yours is wrong, right?" I asked slowly but firmly, making sure he took in what I was saying. He nodded and turned his head away from me.

"Talking to him isn't going to make a difference," Lee spoke up and then he rounded on Kevin. "Did the Whiter Tiger Code of Conduct completely drop from your mind?" he demanded, towering over Kevin. "You know it's not how we operate, it's against our morals."

"_I know_!" Kevin seethed, balling his hands into fists.

"You're a disgrace to the White Tiger name!"

"_That's enough, Lee_!" I pushed my way in between Lee and Kevin, shielding the younger boy from him. I held onto Lee's angry gaze with a hard stare of my own, letting him know I wouldn't back down from him. "Lee, you have to stop."

"Stop protecting him," Lee snarled.

"He's a _kid_, Lee!" I pointed out. "A kid! Raising your voice at him isn't going to help matters!" I looked past his shoulder at Mariah who looked as if she had been yelled at herself. "Are you really going to stand there and let Lee talk to Kevin like that?" I demanded.

"I, uh…" Mariah muttered, looking lost as to what to do. I didn't blame her, really. Lee was a big presence and hard to go against but she needed to learn to stand up to him sometimes.

"Kevin, give me your blade," I told him while holding out my hand. He sighed and reached into his pockets, revealing his purple blade. He placed it in my palm but still refused to look at me. "You can't blade for a week and I want you to write a letter of apology to me for stealing."

"That's it?" Lee demanded.

I snapped my fingers and smiled at Kevin. "Would you like something to eat?" I added.

"Yeah," he muttered, finally looking up at me.

"You're going to offer him something to eat after he stole from you?" Lee asked.

"Lee, just because my ways of discipline are different than yours doesn't mean they aren't effective. He didn't kill anyone; he stole my diary, that's all. I have nothing embarrassing in it so it's not like there's anything he can tell people that they'd actually care about," I replied, reaching into a bowl and handing Kevin an apple. At his frown I said, "It's an apple or nothing."

"Thank you, Crystal," he said somewhat begrudgingly.

"Gary, you can have one too," I said while grabbing another one and holding it out to him.

"Gary's going to need a whole bushel of apples to fill that stomach of his," Kevin said with a laugh, lightly elbowing his large friend in the side.

"Do me a favor and get the newspaper," I said while shooing him away. As soon as he and Gary left the room I turned to Lee. "You have to relax," I told him. "Kevin likes to push buttons and—"

"I think I know Kevin more than you do so I don't need your advice," Lee growled.

"I've known Kevin just as long as you have, Einstein," I pointed out, placing my hands on my hips. "What's wrong with him this morning?" I asked Mariah who had stayed unusually quiet. She didn't say anything but looked at Lee. If it were possible I swear his eyes would burst into flames by how angry he looked.

"Don't talk about me as if I'm not here," Lee spat.

"You're getting so worked up over something that doesn't even involve you," I pointed out. "It was my diary which Kevin stole so I should be the one who punish him in any way I see fit. Raising my voice isn't going to do anything to him but resent me. He wouldn't get the point. Why do you think he always defies you?"

"_Do you dare to insinuate that I can't handle my own team_?"

"Lee, that's enough!" Mariah scolded. "She wasn't saying that. She was just saying that you have to realize that being abrasive isn't always the answer to dealing with the things Kevin does."

"Back off, Mariah! This has nothing to do with you!" Lee said to his sister.

"She's right, though. The elders taught us that—" I started.

"_Don't you dare shove what the elders say in my face!"_

"_What_ is going on here?" Ray's stern voice came from my right. Lee, Mariah, and I all turned to see him standing in the doorway, his arms crossed over his chest and a stern gaze to match his tone. "Can you please keep it down?" He continued, walking into the room. "Tyson had a late night and I'd rather he get a full night's sleep than to wake up to your bellyaching."

"Ray, you don't—" Lee started but stopped at the look that Ray had given him. Lee let out a soft growl and bit his lip.

"What is it that's so important that you two can't talk it out later and that you have to fight about it now?" Ray asked. I started to open my mouth but Ray held up his hand, silencing me. I hated the power he had over me sometimes but I knew it wasn't worth having him mad at me either. "Mariah, could you please explain what happened?"

"Y'see, Ray, sometime yesterday Kevin had stolen something of Crystal's. We didn't find out about it until this morning," Mariah babbled, looking at him with big eyes as if silently pleading for him not to be angry with him as well. "Crys told him that he can't blade for a week and he had to write a letter for her, which upset Lee. He wanted Kevin to have a worse punishment. He got angry when Crys tried to tell him that yelling and, figuratively, bringing down the hammer wouldn't help with Kevin. Lee got a little hot around the collar and here we are."

Ray sighed and rubbed his face with his hands. I didn't think he'd say anything so it was a bit of a surprise to me when he spoke. "This fight is petty. Lee, it was Crystal's possession that Kevin took so it was up to her to make a punishment for him. Leader or not while I'm part of the BBA team, you shouldn't have gotten involved. And Crys, you know how Lee can get if provoked or if he feels personally attacked." He sighed. "Your fighting is stemming from the pressure of today. Added pressure that Tyson doesn't need so I'd appreciate it if you two could bury the hatchet and just be there for Tyson, okay?"

"Ray's right, guys," Mariah spoke up. I felt my eye twitch at bit. _Of course she'd agree with him. If she weren't engaged herself it wouldn't surprise me if she were jumping him about now,_ I mused as I turned back to the breakfast that I had been preparing. "And everything's over and done with. Crys, you got your diary back and that's all that matters." She let out a little laugh and said, "You two are fighting like you're married already. I can't wait to see the kind of fights you'll get into once we get back home."

"You'll be thinking that for a while because I'm not going back to the village, once this is all over," I replied as I poured the batter into equal sized circles onto the hotplate.

"What do you mean you're not going back?" Ray asked.

"I mean I'm not going back," I replied, slowly pronouncing each word while setting the container down and turning to rest my back near the stove.

"Good riddance," Lee muttered. I flipped him off.

"You have to come back," Mariah said.

"I don't _have_ to do anything," I pointed out.

"Why don't you want to come back with us?" Ray asked looking at me in such a way that I knew he was trying to read my face for something.

I shrugged. "There's nothing for me back there, now is there? Except for a marriage I don't even want to go through and people who constantly judge the ground I walk on. Not really the group of people I want to spend the rest of my life around."

Mariah made a huffing sound as if she were offended. Lee made a scoffing sound but otherwise stayed silent. Ray, of course, was the one to grill me. "You have nowhere else to go. Where would you stay?"

I shrugged again. "I didn't think that far ahead. I guess I'd just stay here with Tyson for a bit before I think of something."

"What would you do?"

"Go to school somehow. I don't know how just yet but I'll figure out a way." I scrunched up my nose a little bit. "How come you're not trying to make me go back?" I asked.

His eyebrows twitched a little bit. "Because if you want to come back I want you to make that decision on your own. If you don't want to, that's your decision too. I'm not going to force you."

"Wh…what's going on?" Max asked sleepily as he, Tyson, and Kenny walked into the kitchen. Max was yawning and rubbing his eyes, trying to rub the sleep off of his face. Kenny seemed far more awake than the others but Tyson had a sort of look of determination in his eyes.

"Nothing," I said in a tone that should signal the end of the conversation. "I just started your pancakes, Ty, but if you'd like to battle me before hand—"

Suddenly Tyson was awake. "I could use a wake-up battle. Count me in!"

* * *

"Ha, I win again," Tyson said triumphantly while lightly rubbing underneath his nose. I let out a growl of frustration while picking up Dricen who had rolled to a stop by my foot. "But don't get too discouraged. It takes a lot of natural talent and a little bit of practice to get on my level."

"You better be careful. If your head gets any bigger you'll float away. It has a bit too much hot air," I commented as I brushed dirt off of my beyblade. "I'd take you on again but—"

"You don't want to suffer another crushing defeat?" Tyson interrupted me. "I was thinking the same thing. I'll spare whatever's left of your pride."

I crossed my arms over my chest. "One day I will beat you Tyson—"

"Keep dreaming, sister!"

"—but I was going to say I don't want to throttle Dragoon enough that you don't win today's battle. I don't think I have to remind you how crucial this battle is and I don't want Kenny to work too hard to fix Dragoon before this match," I finally finished, my teeth clenched so hard I could feel a vein in my jaw pumping. I loved Tyson to death but his cockiness will be the death of him one day, I swear.

"She has a point, Tyson, let me give Dragoon a look over to make sure there's not too much structural damage," Kenny called from where he was sitting, his trusty laptop was open on his lap like usual. Tyson, a bit reluctantly, went over to Kenny and handed over Dragoon.

"Okay, who wants to battle me next?" I asked while looking from Max to the White Tigers who were all lounging around, having watched Tyson's and my battle with a lot of interest. I loaded Dricen onto my launcher and shoved the ripcord into the hole while waiting. "No takers?" I asked with a lift of my eyebrows. "Where's the White Tiger courage? I promise I won't beat you all too much," I teased. If it would get any of them to blade so be it. Just as I expected, Lee was the first one to get hot under his collar. He had jumped up to face me but Mariah stopped him and took his place on the other side of the dish. "I'm surprised you want to take me on, Wong," I commented with a slow clap. "I have to say, I'm going to miss this."

Mariah glared at me. "I didn't take you for being such a coward," he said while loading her pink blade onto her launcher. At the confused look on my face she sighed. "Same ol' Crystal, always running away instead of facing her problems. You're more of a coward than I thought."

"I'm not a coward!" I hissed. "How dare you lie?"

"It's not a lie when it's the truth!" She used her beyblade to point at me. "What're you going to do once this tournament is over? Run away again?" She sneered. "I shouldn't be surprised; you're so used to that. What happens if you make more friends wherever you go? Are you going to ditch them to?"

"Shut up! You don't know what you're talking about!"

She smirked. "Oh don't I? You know, you and Ray are a lot alike. You both run away instead of facing your problems head on. At least, he _used_ to be like that. Now he knows that sometimes facing your fears head on is the only way to go in life. Unlike you. You're just going to keep running, aren't you?"

"Are you going to blade or are you going to talk yourself hoarse?" I asked, holding Dricen up. I got into my ready position. After a few seconds Mariah did the same.

"On one," Max said as he stepped up to the dish, acting as a referee. "Three…two…one…"

"_Let it rip!_" Mariah and I called in unison while launching our beyblades. Galux landed in the dish and immediately started to circle it while Dricen spun in the center.

"Come on, fight me!" Mariah ordered. "That's what you want, isn't it? To fight away anyone who dares to get close to you. Am I right?"

"Will you just shut up and blade already?" I asked, trying to focus. I could feel everyone's eyes on us and it left a strange crawling sensation on my skin. I wanted to get his battle with over already but I couldn't get too drastic with my moves. That'd surely end up in my losing and I wasn't going to let _that_ happen. Not to _her_. What was she playing at anyway? I had to keep her from getting under my skin but it was so tough with her.

"What's…going on here?" Max muttered.

"I don't think this is about beyblading anymore," Tyson replied.

"Heh. You're scared of getting close to anyone, that's it isn't it? Look, if you come back we can forget about the past and start over."

"I can't start over, Mariah!" I yelled. "Dricen, _attack_! _Show no mercy_!" I ordered. Dricen shot forward at the perfect time to smash into Galux. As they spun around the dish he tried to push her out but Galux pushed back. I was slightly impressed. It was obvious that she had been practicing. "C'mon, Tiger Claw!"

"Cat Scratch!"

Sparks flew and the distinct smell of burning parts filled the air. In a beam of pink and blue light Galux and Dricen both revealed themselves and started swiping at each other. They bounced up on their hind legs and scratched with their sharp claws, trying to land a hit on the other one.

"So you can fight head on in the dish but not out of it, huh?" Mariah taunted.

"My decision about not going back has nothing to do with you, Mariah!"

"That's where you're wrong! It has to do with _all_ of us!" Mariah shot back. I let out a little gasp. I was taken aback by the conviction in her voice and the glare that was being thrown my way. I've never seen her so furious before. "That's what you have to remember about being a White Tiger! If one of us is hurt, all of us are! We're a team. A _family_!"

"Some family!" I bit back. "One that turns their back on their members when they leave for personal reasons or when they don't have a choice! If anyone was a traitor it was you all for thinking we were the enemies when we left!"

"We apologized for that but you keep throwing it in our faces! We're trying to move on from it but you keep bringing it back _like the coward that you are! Galux!"_

_"Dricen!"_

It seemed as if the more Mariah and I yelled at each other the more vicious Galux and Dricen got at attacking each other. Claws dug and clung into the opponents, jaws clamped down on any limb that was reachable. Hind legs were extended to try and catch the other off guard. No matter how many hits, how many times the holder of power shifted they wouldn't give up fighting.

"Don't act like you know what I'm going through, Mariah!" I yelled over the sounds of the fighting bit beasts. "Your family is still intact! You don't understand what I've been through!"

"I would if you'd just _let me in_!"

"Hey Ray, you're just going to let them fight each other like that?" Tyson asked. Out of the corner of my eye I could see that Ray was in his normal stance: eyes closed, head down, one leg crossed over the other. It was a stance he reverted to whenever he felt he needed to go to meditation for strength.

"It's best they work out their problems in any way that they can," he replied without opening his eyes. "For those two, beyblading is the way to go."

"You just don't get it," I continued, clenching my hands into fists. My adrenaline was pumping, much like my heart and I could hear the blood rushing in my ears. "Beyblading is…it's my life! This is it for me. I don't have the…the opportunities that the rest of you have."

"It's a _game_! I know beyblading is the only thing you have left to remind you of your parents—I remember Dricen used to belong to your mother—but you have to remember that as long as you have your beyblade with you your parents are with you as well! Winning battles…it's not going to bring them back no matter how hard you try! They _can't_ come back, Crys! They can't! You have to stop blaming yourself for their deaths because it wasn't your fault."

"_Enough! Dricen, Arctic Strike!"_

_"Galux, Lynx Claw Attack!"_

Both blades reared back and charged at each other at high spinning speeds. As soon as they clashed together there was a large wave of energy coupled with a loud explosion and bright beam of light. I brought my arms up to my face to shield my eyes from the light and felt my stomach turn from the energy waves that were moving through me. I brought my arms down in time to see a blade flying at my face so I grabbed it in midair.

Pink.

What? I had Mariah's blade in my hand. I looked across the dish to see Mariah holding my blade in her hands. So it ended in a draw. I closed my hand into a fist and felt the edges of her attack ring poking in my fingers. I felt more drained than I expected. I had to say I was impressed; she put up a really good fight this time. Usually I could beat her in about five minutes. I took a deep breath to ease my heavy breathing and then walked over to her, holding out my hand.

"Thanks," Mariah said with a small smile as she took Galux and held out Dricen. I accepted him silently. "I thought I had you this time." Her words were guarded as if she expected me to blow up at her or something. I gave a little laugh. I had done that before so I didn't blame her at all.

"Heh. You're going to have to work a little bit harder to take Dricen down," I told her. "But I'm sure you can do it one day."

"You mean it?"

I shrugged. "Yeah." Then I lifted my finger in a mock warning way. "But I'm not going to make it easy for you."

"I wouldn't want it any other way."

I nodded and then cleared my throat at the silence. It was very stifling and it made me uncomfortable, as if the others were waiting to see who would speak first. I beat them to the punch. "Uh, Tyson, we better get going. Don't want to be late.

Tyson punched his fist into the air. "Oh yeah! BEGA is going down!"

* * *

_I just want to take the time to thank all of my readers, those who review and those anonymous readers. Without you all I wouldn't have kept my inspiration for this story. While I do enjoy writing it you're the reason why I keep updating as soon as I possibly can. I especially want to thank **Aldamonburst** and **Shiningheart of ThunderClan **for being my faithful and loyal reviewers. I appreciate you two so much! Thank you all and Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!_

_~C.M._


	21. Chapter 21

**Twenty-One**

"I fail to see the humor in this situation," I commented as Julia whooped and hollered, slapping her knee. Mariah, Mathilda, Emily, and Hilary sat back and watched Julia continue to shriek with laughter.

We were the first ones at the BEGA building; the guys would be arriving later. I wanted to get there as early as possible to avoid any situations where I'd end up running into Max. I knew I needed to talk to him but I knew he wouldn't stick around long enough to listen to me, which was where the girls came in. I needed their opinions on the situation before I did anything.

"Really? 'Cause it's so easy to see," she said with a large grin. She dropped back on the couch in between Emily and Hilary, her arms stretching over the back.

"Enlighten me, please." I pulled my knees up to my chest and wrapped my arms around them. They started to knock after a few seconds, and I squeezed them tighter. I wish this damn tournament was over with all ready.

It took her a Julia more seconds to calm down her hysterical laughter. "None of this would've happened if you were never so afraid of letting him down," she said, wagging her finger in my direction.

"Hey!" I shouted, holding a finger in front of her face. "I'm not afraid of _anything_, got that?" I hissed.

"Except talking to a boy."

"I am not scared! It's just…it's complicated," I groaned, holding my head in my hands.

"Well, let's go over the facts," Mathilda offered. She held out her palm and lowered a finger. "He likes you."

"Right." I nodded.

"And you like him." She lowered another finger.

"As a _friend_."

"But you kissed him," Mariah pointed out.

"Yeah, but—"

"_More_ than once," Hilary added.

"Well, yeah, but—"

"_And_ you kinda danced around the subject whenever you wanted to talk to him about it," Julia agreed.

"B—"

"And you avoided the subject at all costs," Mathilda added.

"What's with the third degree?" I snarled, interrupting them. I let out a groan and subbed my suddenly aching temples. Maybe _I should've stayed in the village, it would've made my life a hell of a lot easier._ Then I shook my head, emptying it of that thought alone. I love blading too much to have stayed behind and threw away this opportunity. "You guys are talking like I'm the bad guy here."

"Well, you did go about it the wrong way," Emily sighed, adjusting her glasses. "Max is a sensitive boy, of which you probably figured out all ready, and he probably took it as a slap to the face."

"How is that supposed to _help_ the situation?" I asked.

She smirked. "It's not. I'm just stating the facts. Your own your own with trying to figure out what to do. I suggest not making things worse, though."

"Right, like I could possibly make this even worse than it is now," I said with an eyeroll."I don't see why he's making such a big deal about it. It's not like we're _dating_ or anything. It was just for fun, I draw a fine line at the dating prospect."

"Does _he_ know that?" Mathilda asked.

"Apparently not since he's so upset," Julia replied. "Look, just go find him and apologize. If he doesn't accept your apology then at least you tried."

"It's not going to clear up the inevitable awkwardness between the team, though," I pointed out, tugging at my ponytail. I groaned and rubbed a gloved hand over my eye. "I just want all of this to be over all ready."

Mariah put a hand on my shoulder. "We're just under a lot of stress. Emotions are running high and this tournament isn't getting easier. I think we should all just focus on our goal and put everything else aside."

"Easy for you to say, 'Riah, _you're_ not the one blading against a sack of steroids," I grumbled. The girls giggled and I cracked a smile. _Someone please give me the strength to get through these next couple of days._ "I mean, they could at least have _one_ good looking guy on that team."

"I don't know, Mystel's pretty cute," Mariah commented with a dreamy smile on her face.

"Barf," I mumbled.

"Psh, Brooklyn's hot," Julia said with a wave of her hand and a smirk on her lips.

"No way, Mystel's _so_ much better looking," Mariah retorted.

"He is not! He's just a kid."

"At least he's not cocky. Brooklyn's head is filled with so much air it could float right off his shoulders."

"Take that back!"

"Brooklyn plays with butterflies for cryin' out loud!" I interjected.

"Girls, girls, why are you fighting about our _opponents?_" Mathilda asked, waving her hands and trying to keep the peace. "Really, does it matter if they're good looking or not? They're fighting for BEGA, remember? We shouldn't go against each other because of petty differences."

"I'm bettin' it's easy for you to say considering Miguel's on our side, huh?" Hilary asked with a sly grin, elbowing Mathilda in the side. Mathilda laughed nervously and Emily let out a loud sigh.

"Honestly, girls, why let something as trivial as the male gender get in your way of seeing the big picture?" She asked, crossing her arms over her chest. She then lifted her head and pointed right at me, the glare of the light blocked out her eyes. "You stared this mess so you can go finish it. Apologize to Max, sort everything out, and then things will finally go back to normal."

"You want to add a 'please' to the end of that demand?" I asked dryly, stretching my arms over my head. I placed my hands on my knees and stood, letting out a little grunt at the pain in my joints. "Fine, whatever, as long as it gets you girls off my back."

"Oh you love us," Mariah chirped.

"I'd love you all six feet under," I called over my shoulder and left the room. I didn't know which way to go so I just started walking and let my mind wander. I didn't see the big deal about everything; they were blowing it out of proportion. It wasn't as if I committed a crime or anything. Sure, dinner was kind of awkward; no one really knew what to say to anyone until Tyson said something random about noodles and whipped cream that got everyone as lively as ever.

I leaned my back against the cool concrete wall and let out a long breath. Too many people were making too big a deal about this, it was starting to suffocate me. I just wanted to go back home and hide under my covers.

_If I have a home to go back to._

I startled myself at my own thought. I really didn't have a home much anymore, I travelled too much. I brought my eyebrows together. _Why have I moved so much?_ I've been asking myself that question for years and I still didn't have an answer. That was the one thing I wanted the most in this life, a place to call home, but where was that? I knew I always had a place waiting for me in Tokyo with Tyson but it wasn't the same and I could only stay there for so long without Grandpa Granger freaking me out. And where else could I go? China? I wasn't even banished anymore but I still didn't feel right being there, and _that_ was my closest home than anything, but I had nothing there for me anymore. I just wanted continuity in my life but I couldn't stay in one place but it was like I couldn't have one or the other. My mind wanted one thing but my heart wanted the other.

I pushed myself off the wall and started walking again. As soon as I turned the corner I ran smack dab into something hard, falling back onto my butt. "Hey, watch where I'm going!" I cried out, getting back to my feet. I looked at who had run into me and flinched. "Oh…sorry Max," I mumbled.

"I should've been watching where I was going," he said curtly.

I nodded. Geeze, this was so awkward. I didn't _do_ awkward. "Where are the others?" I asked, looking over his shoulder.

"Back in the room probably thinking up new strategies for me to use against Mystel," he replied. I lifted my eyebrow at the trace of bitterness that was in his tone.

"What'd they say?"

"What does it matter?"

"It's made you upset."

His eyes hardened. "A _few_ things have me upset right now so if you don't mind…" he moved to walk past me. I swung out my arm and stopped him from moving.

"Don't take your anger out on me," I warned him. "I won't have it. I know I screwed up but you shouldn't take your anger from them out on the next person you see. Put it towards your blading, all right?" He didn't say anything but he continued to stay at the ground. "I'm sorry for handling things the way I did. I should've talked to you about it instead of going to anyone else. It wasn't fair to you, but we have bigger things to worry about right now." I pushed him back until he was looking right at me. "Considering your position…you have a lot of pressure put on you. They're only trying to help. They believe in you and they know you can do it but you _can't_ freak out. Not now. They're not just your teammates Max, they're your brothers," I paused, "Well, maybe not Daichi, he's more like a missing link." Max cracked a smile. "Anyway, my point is they're thinking up different plans to try and make it easier for you because they care. Ok? They care, we all do, we know what you can do and we know, in the end, it's your decision how you blade. They believe in you and so do I."

"Thanks," he muttered.

"Hey, if you don't win this or at least tie, I don't get to blade and that'll make me unhappy and you don't want to deal with me when I'm unhappy," I joked.

His smile got a bit wider. "Yeah, that's for sure."

"So…are we cool?"

The smile immediately dropped from his face. "I don't know…"

"Look, I'm sorry but I don't feel the same way about you. I mean, you're sweet and all, it's just…I'm not looking for a boyfriend or anything right now."

He nodded. "I get it."

"Max…why _do_ you like me anyway?" I asked, tilting my head slightly.

He smiled. "I'm not going to tell you."

"Oh come on! I think I deserve to know why."

"My lips are sealed." He made a zipping lips motion.

"You wouldn't inflate my ego or anything. I'm quite aware of how awesome I am already."

"Yeah, whatever."

I chuckled. "You'll do fine today. Just do what you feel is right."

* * *

"Back in the saddle again," I sighed and took my spot on the bench, wincing at the sound of the screaming fans. "I feel like these past couple of days has been a broken record."

"I'd like to smash a broken record over Ming Ming's head," Hilary grumbled, picking at her nails, glaring across the arena at the Pop Star who was waving at the cheering crowd.

"I'm with you on that idea."

Just then a spotlight burst on and illuminated DJ Jazzman as he took the stage. "All right folks this is where we stand," he addressed the crowd. His voice was booming through the speakers installed in the arena and seemed to get the crowd more hyped than it was before. "In this best of five series G Revolutions has zero wins and two losses."

"Thanks for throwing that in our faces, buddy," I grumbled, crossing my arms over my chest.

"He's just doing his job, relax," Ray scolded me.

"One more defeat and they're _gone_! Outta here! See ya, wouldn't wanna be ya!" DJ Jazzman continued.

"We get it!" I snarled.

"Can BEGA's team make it a clean three-for-three sweep today? Max is known for his defensive style play. Could be easy pickings for an offensive powerhouse like Mystel. Will Max throw out his usual playbook in order to win?" DJ Jazzman finished to the roar of the crowd.

"Whoa, look at that dish," Ray muttered as they revealed the Sunken Sparta Stadium.

"It's a water dish so it should be to Max's advantage," Hilary noted.

"Not with Mystel going against him. He has a water powered spirit as well. It should be evenly matched," I replied. I reached my arms up to stretch but stopped when I felt eyes resting on me. I looked around and then locked eyes with Garland who was glaring at me from across the arena. "Urgh, I do _not_ like the way that guy is looking at me," I mumbled.

Hilary looked up. I pointed and she followed the direction my finger was pointing in with her eyes. Then she flinched. "Ooh. Yeah, that is very creepy. Wonder what his problem is."

"He could be intimidated by my beauty."

She rolled her eyes. "Yeah, I'm sure _that's_ it."

"Thanks for boosting my confidence, Hil."

"Would you two _please_ focus on this match?' Ray asked, rolling his eyes.

"Sor-_ry_," Hilary huffed.

Max suddenly stood and moved to walk towards the dish but Tyson stopped him, apologizing for getting carried away. He stepped up to the dish and the battle was underway. He started off by attacking Mystel, which practically gave the rest of the team a heart attack. I mean, it was understandable Max was strictly defensive so seeing him use an offensive move was weird, but he had to know what he was doing.

"There's no sign of Max's steel wall defense," DJ Jazzman noted. "He'll do anything for a win, even change his style."

"Wait, so first he's on the attack and now he's _getting_ attacked? I don't get it," I mused, rubbing my chin.

"I don't think Max can get a read on Mystel, he's completely unpredictable," Tyson noted.

"Up, down, side-ways, reverse…. Ooh, can't he make up his mind?" Daichi griped.

"I know this is Max's defensive style but isn't he taking too many hits?" Hilary asked.

"My sentiments exactly," I commented.

"Not really," Kenny replied, typing away at his laptop as usual. "It only _looks_ like Max is taking the brunt of the impacts but that's not the case."

"Huh?" Hilary, Ray, and I uttered in unison. I jumped off the bench and leaned over Kenny's shoulder to look at the screen.

Kenny explained, "In order to keep the damage down to a minimum Max adjusts his timing at the point of impact just slightly. Pretty sophisticated technique, even for Max."

"Hmm, I'm impressed," I said.

The longer the battle went on the more tired the two got but they still weren't letting up. They had more strength than I imagined. I could feel everyone around me tense up as Mystel called out Poseidon and used his Ocean Javelin attack.

"C'mon Maxie," Ray muttered, clenching his hands into fists. "C'mon."

The whole stadium held their breaths as Draciel used his Aqua shield attack. The water in the dish rose up and created a wall that Poseidon smashed through and came out on the other side, smashing into Draciel. The wave smashed into Max and he almost lost his footing but he regained in. I could practically hear the collective sigh of releaf from the G Revolutions supporters.

"BEGA is _not_ going to get the best of me! The future…depends…on us to bring them…all the way down!" Max declared.

Draciel and Poseidon fought head to head, neither one backing down. Suddenly wind picked up out of nowhere and beads of water was sent flying through the stadium. I braced myself as well as possible but I could feel myself sliding backwards a bit from the force of the wind. These Chinese shoes really didn't have great traction on this ground, especially with the water. I almost fell over from the force of the wind but Ray grabbed my arm and helped me stay balanced. Another surge of water escaped from the dish. Mystel managed to jump out of the way but it knocked Max off of his feet and onto the ground, as well as their two blades ending their battle in a draw. The stadium went nuts as DJ Jazzman announced the match in a draw.

"Max! Max!" I pulled out of Ray's grasp and rushed to his side as he sat up. "Max, you tied! You tied!" I said, shaking his shoulder. I helped him to his feet and looked up at the box that Boris was in. _Hmph, he must know now that we're a force to be taken seriously._ I clenched my hands into fists. _I won't lose, Boris, I'll avenge my parents' death and make sure you pay!_

"Hey." I turned and looked up at Tyson. "It looks like it's up to you now."

I nodded. "Looks like it," I agreed, noticing the hard look in his eyes. "Don't worry, I can do this."

"Are you sure?" Tyson asked. "Garland's up next."

I nodded again. "Garland…with enough practice I can stand on my own against him. Just worry about Brooklyn, alright Ty? I'll get us to the next round for sure."

He grinned. "I know you won't let us down."

* * *

The car ride to the park was filled with praise towards Max's beybattle. Everyone was so jazzed up by us still having a chance in the tournament and taking BEGA down that everyone wanted a chance at battling in practice, even though they weren't the ones who were going to battle in the tournament. It's amazing how a little battle could change people's hopes and lift their spirits.

I battled Daichi in practice today partially because the little monkey boy wouldn't leave me alone and partially because he was the closest to Tyson when it came to his maneuvers. If I could beat Daichi then I could take on Tyson and get better prepared for what Garland had up his sleeve. The battle with Daichi wasn't a walk in the park but he made too many mistakes and he was so overzealous Dricen picked him apart easily. A bit too easily for my taste but a win's a win and it shut him up for a while.

Now we were all back at the dojo to take a break and get some lunch before going back out to practice again later. I decided to unwind a bit by watching TV but of course the only thing on was anything BEGA related. I moved to change the channel but Hilary stopped me, wanting to know what DJ Jazzman was saying.

"Hey kids! Is everybody ready for some BEGA vs G Revolutions excitement or are you just in it for the free hotdogs and popcorn?" DJ Jazzman's voice floated out of the television set. Immediately everyone stopped talking and turned to the TV. "Don't need to answer that one. There have been three rounds so far. BEGA's won two plus a draw. The next matchup: its BEGA's star Garland against Crystal from G Revolutions which means Tyson will face Brooklyn in the last match. Let's go live to the BEGA Training Arena where BEGA blader, and all around cutie, Ming Ming is signing autographs." I rolled my eyes once the picture on screen turned to Ming Ming surrounded by guys. "Hey Ming Ming, what's happening?"

"Hi to all my fans out there I love you all!" Ming Ming chirped, flashing a peace sign.

"Oh give me a break," Hilary groaned, placing her hands over her face and shaking her head.

"Tell us, Ming Ming. You've spun such an awesome beybattle, will the BEGA be able to win the last two matches that easily?" DJ Jazzman asked, sticking his microphone in her face.

"Well, the love of my fans help me to win, plus G Revolutions stink—"

"Oh no that brat did _not_!" I sat up straighter and glared at the blue haired kid.

"—so, don't you worry about BEGA's chances, we can't be beaten. Not by that icky G Revolutions. If everybody keeps rooting for the BEGA and getting my limited edition bobble head dolls, there's no way we can ever lose!" She giggled. "Love ya!"

I jabbed my thumb in the remote and frowned as soon as the screen turned to black."That kid seriously has issues. Does she really think a bobble head would help their team _win_? Beyblading is about _skill_, not endorsements. She's buying their support and it's only going to last for so long."

"Makes me wonder if she's a siren in disguise," Hilary commented. She jumped when a loud crash was heard from the kitchen followed closely by Tyson's and Daichi's arguing. She grumbled and rubbed her temples. "I can't wait for this to tournament to be over so everything can go back to normal."

I scoffed. "Tyson and Daichi can't be used in the same sentence as the word 'normal'," I quipped and she giggled.

"What're you going to do once this is over?" Hilary asked, picking at a loose thread on her jean shorts.

I shrugged. "Probably stick around for a bit. I haven't seen that much of Japan."

"You're not going to go back home?"

"I would if I had one."

She blinked and turned her ruby red eyes to me. "Wait, what do you mean? You're from the White Tiger Village. Wouldn't you go back with Ray and the others?"

"I may be from there but it's not my home," I replied, tugging at a few strands of hair that fell out of my ponytail. "I don't associate it as my home, I haven't been there since I was…seven? Eight maybe?" I shook my head. "I have no reason to go back, honestly."

"The WhiteTigers—"

"Are my friends and great teammates but I'm not going to go back just because of them," I replied. "I'll be honest, they're great and the village is amazing but…it's like a bubble. You can't do anything there. There's no TV, no phones, and no electricity. Not that I need a TV to be amused but it's so isolated, I feel suffocated while I'm there. It doesn't help that more than half the people there _still_ think I'm the reason that the village was burned down and won't even give me a fair chance." I shook my head. "There's no reason to be around such negative people, they're not going to get over it. And, like I said, there's nothing for me there to go back to."

"Your parents are there," she pointed out quietly.

I sighed. Well, that was true. It was where my grandparents and my parents were buried but, at the same time, it's not enough for me to go back. "While you have a valid point," I said, "I don't want to go somewhere I'm hated even though my banishment was lifted. No matter how much I pleaded my case no one would believe me. They'd deal with me of course, whatever the Elder says goes, but they didn't have to be happy about it and something tells me they still wouldn't be happy even if I won the whole tournament myself. I'd never be good enough for them and I don't want to waste my time or my breath."

"But they're your family."

"I have no family."

"What about us?" She demanded.

"What about you?" I didn't mean for it to come out rude but this was the last thing I wanted to talk about. The room started to feel small. My fingers twitched and my eyes darted around, trying to find a way to escape. I had to get out…

"The G Revolutions? We're going through this together. We're trying to save the sport of Beyblading and we can only rely on each other, like a family." She gave a little laugh. "I mean, Tyson practically welcomed you to the team with open arms, and that's saying something. We didn't think he'd let a new blader join the team, let alone a girl." She sighed and added, "He had troubles with me when I came around."

"That doesn't surprise me, Miss I-always-have-to-say-what's-on-my-mind," I replied.

She grabbed a couch pillow and lightly hit me with it. "What I'm trying to say is that we need each other. We need you. I don't understand this Beyblade thing but I know that you're good. _Really_ good, especially if you came from the same village as Ray."

"That has nothing to do with it; it has to do with skill, desire, and heart. I know _plenty_ of things that Ray knows _nothing_ about," I corrected her.

"Like why you continually run away?"

Her question hung in the air as she looked at me, studying me. My lips parted slightly as I tried to find something to say. How'd she…? I couldn't even finish the thought. I was so careful; at least I thought I was.

"What're you talking about?" I mumbled.

She gave a sad smile. "You moved around a lot, right?"

"Not by choice."

"But by instinct," she corrected. "You can't stay in the same place for too long because you're scared of getting too close to people."

"That's not true!" I denied.

She lifted her eyebrows. "Is it? Tell me, if you were never banished, would you have left the village?"

"Yes!" I replied. "Did you not hear what I said before? It's a bubble. I feel trapped there."

"Because you haven't given it a chance."

"I shouldn't have to!" I shouted, jumping to my feet. "They didn't give me a chance, why should I give them one?"

"To be fair." I growled and clenched my hands into fists. Of course he would've been listening, or 'just so happened' to hear what we were saying. Well, I guess it didn't help that I was just yelling at her.

"What do you know about being fair?" I asked, turning to Ray whose face was stoic. "Correct me if I'm wrong but you jumped the gun and assumed that I did it too. You hated me for no reason."

"I was wrong, I'll admit that," Ray replied. "But everyone deserves a second chance." He scratched at his temple. "Hilary, do you mind?"

"Not at all," she replied, standing and walking off, leaving me alone in a room with him. _Great, just great._

"You know, I figured you of all people wouldn't have believed the hype after that night, especially since I helped you and the others fight them off," I said before he could start speaking. "But no, you didn't believe me. None of you did and you let me get banished."

"And I regret it to this very day," he replied, interrupting me before I could continue. "I do. If you don't believe me…I don't care, but I do regret it. You were my friend, my best friend, and I let you leave. I knew you didn't do it but…I was confused. I know it's not a good excuse but I was confused. I couldn't understand anything that was going on but I understood that you were gone. Since then…it tore me up. I wondered why you didn't put up a fight."

I scoffed. "You and I both know once the Elder sets a rule it should be followed."

"You could've fought back, like you always did," he shot back. "You should have."

"I didn't want to," I replied. "I'm surprised none of you saw that I hated it there."

"You hated it there?" He repeated.

"Yes, _Raymond_, I hated it there!" I cried out, throwing my arms into the air. "I hated how small it was. I hated how isolated we were. I hated how we were forced to learn things on our own when we were young. And I hated, more than anything, not having time with my parents!" My body shook. I could feel tears collecting in the corners of my eyes and I did my best to keep them away but I knew it was a losing battle. I clenched my hands into fists as my chest heaved. "I hated not being able to see them until right before I was going to sleep. I hated not being able to spend time with them. And then Boris _killed_ them. I couldn't stay there. My house may be there but it wasn't my home anymore. Not without my parents. After Mei's wedding I'm not going back there ever again." I shook my head. "I just can't."

"Stop running away," Ray said firmly.

"I'm not running away!"

"Yes you are! You're running away from your past."

"Ray, just stay out if it. You're ruining everything," I declared and turned to leave.

Ray grabbed my shoulder and turned me around. "I _can't_ stay out of it, Crys. I made a promise to your parents' years ago if anything happened to them I'd do everything in my power to make sure you stayed out of trouble."

"Oh, you're doing a _fantastic_ job now. I applaud you."

"Um…" I leaned over a little to see Tyson past Ray's shoulder. "You guys ready to go?"

"Yup," I replied. "You and me, Ty. Dricen and I will show you what we're made of."

Tyson automatically got the fire in his eyes. "You won't stand a chance against me and Dragoon."

"We'll see."

* * *

"Come on…you guys aren't giving up already are you?" Tyson panted as the sun slowly set in the distance. "We're not finished yet guys. It's only been five hours."

"_Only_?" I grumbled from my collapsed state on my side.

"We can't even get up," Ray pointed out.

"My blisters have blisters," Daichi groaned.

"Maybe we should all call it a day, Tyson," Kenny suggested. "Everyone's completely exhausted."

"You're driving the team like a pack of sled dogs, Tyson," Hilary agreed.

"I'm not _that_ bad," Tyson defended himself. He took a look around at the rest of us who were on the ground, panting from exhaustion. "Then again maybe I am. Hey guys, I'm sorry. But we just can't stop now." He let out a growl of frustration and launched Dragoon in the sky. Dragoon clashed against another blade and fell into Tyson's hand. I managed to push myself onto my knees and looked towards the dirt path where the other blade came from.

"Kai," Mariah muttered next to me.

Kai's eyes rested on Tyson and Tyson held his gaze. The two seemed to be in a staring contest until Tyson uttered, "You're late."

* * *

**Whew, that was a long one. And yay, Kai is finally back. What did you all think about Crystal's blow up about returning home? Thanks for being so patient with me.**

**If you have any questions about this story about my character in general don't hesitate to send me a PM or ask it at my new fanfiction formspring account. The link is on my profile.**

**Thanks so much for sticking around!**

**~Crystal  
**


	22. Chapter 22

**A/N:** Before you get to the chapter I have to mention a few things. 1) I went back and edited all of the previous chapters. Most of it was spell-checking but some of the chapters I changed lines, took out a paragraph, or added a new one. 2) I changed the summary to fit the story better. 3) If, at the end of this chapter, you're confused about something or you just have some lingering questions, don't hesitate to ask. 4) I know a lot of people don't like OCs based on the fact that they're cliche. I hope you see that I did my best to keep Crystal from being cliche or a Mary Sue. If you think she's heading that way, tell me so I can fix it.

Thanks for taking the time to read this. Enjoy the chapter!

~C.M.

* * *

**Twenty-Two**

Kai's sharp eyes shifted as he scanned the group. His stony silence stretched on while he scrutinized us. It was hard reading Kai; he was great at keeping his emotions off of his face, until he blades at least. Especially now, I couldn't figure out for the life of me what he was thinking. Tyson seemed to be holding his breath as we waited for Kai to say something, anything.

Finally Kai's eyes turned back to Tyson. They seemed to be in a staring contest for a bit until Kai's lips parted, "I'm battling next."

Tyson let out the breath he was holding. "What took you so long?"

A shadow of a smile formed on Kai's lips. "I got tied up," he replied simply, loading his beyblade on his launcher once more.

"We're down two losses and a tie," Ray explained. "Crystal was going to go against Garland next."

I tensed when Kai looked over in my direction. "I'm battling next," he repeated. "I'm going to fight Brooklyn."

"But Garland has already been chosen," Mariah spoke up.

"_I'm battling Brooklyn_," Kai said once more in a firmer tone. Mariah let out a little squeak and jumped. I laughed and she punched me in the arm. I couldn't help it, she could be such a scaredy cat sometimes. Kai wasn't a murder or anything but she was still scared by him.

"Better give him what he wants," Max muttered. "He's not going to back down until he gets his way." He shrugged and then smiled in their captain's direction. "It's good to have you back Kai."

Kai silently loaded his beyblade on his launcher once more. He walked down the small slope and over to where Tyson was standing. He whipped the ends of his scarf behind him and looked us all in the eye. "Enough talk, let's battle."

"Oh, great! I've been waiting for this," Tyson said happily, loading his blade.

"Not you," Kai said, stopping him. He lifted a finger and pointed it in my direction. "You," he clarified.

"Me?" I asked, pointing towards myself. I looked around just to make sure no one was standing behind me. Kai wanted to battle _me_! I could tell by the look on his face that he was dead serious. I didn't know what to do, I haven't battled Kai before but I've seen his moves but he did have a background with Boris…

I gripped Dricen in my palm, feeling the little edges of my attack ring press into my fingers. I could feel my blade get warm and then return to its normal temperature. I smirked. Dricen was ready to roll. "Let's do this," I said with a nod.

"Are you sure?" Mariah asked, grabbing my arm. "Kai's strong."

"I'm quite aware of that, thanks," I replied, reaching back and making sure my hair was tied back tight.

"Crys, I'm being serious. You weren't around during the first tournament. He was so powerful, he captured our bitbeasts—"

"With Black Dranzer," I interrupted her. "He doesn't have Black Dranzer with him this time, I should be fine as long as I figure out his attacking pattern."

"What if he doesn't have one/"

"Everyone has an attack pattern, 'Riah."

"Are you two going to gossip all night or are we going to blade?" Kai asked in a bored tone while crossing his arms over his chest. He let out a sigh and lifted his head. "You're wasting time."

Kai really knew how to irk me. "Ok, ok." I took a deep breath and slowly rolled my neck, getting myself ready for the battle. I closed my eyes and let out the breath that I had been holding, pushing away every thought that dared to enter my mind except for my strategy and for channeling my energy with Dricen.

Kai watched me as I met him in the middle of the circle that had formed around us. A light breeze made a whistling sound in my ear. I loaded Dricen onto my launcher and waited for Kai to do the same. He kept his eyes on me the entire time, a tiny hint of a smirk sat on his lips. Everyone else was still, as if moving would ruin our concentration.

"Are you two ready?" Tyson asked, looking at us. Kai didn't move but I nodded my head and held Dricen at the ready. "OK!" Tyson lifted his hand. "Battle in three…two…one…"

"_Let it rip!_"

His dark blue blade and my light blue one immediately smashed against each other once they hit the dish. I forced myself to remain calm, but it was hard. I knew the power that Kai had and I was about as jumpy as a jackrabbit waiting for him to strike or use one of his attacks. Dranzer and Dricen merely spun around each other in the dish.

_That's too weird, Kai never holds back._ I took a chance and looked up at him. I flinched at the way he was looking at me. He has this cold look in his eyes whenever he looks at anyone but when he looked at me I could feel the chill run through my bones. He didn't look down at the blades at all, no matter how many times Dricen hit Dranzer or how many times the majestic phoenix let out a shrill cry. I gave my head a little shake. He was just trying to freak me out and lose my focus, that's all.

"Dricen, Ice Blades, let's go!" I commanded. Kai wouldn't get the best of me. I watched intently as Dricen came out of my blade with a mighty roar and the wings appeared in his back. With a flap of them ice shards were sent flying to cover the dish. I smirked. _Alright, Kai, let's see you get out of this._

"Why isn't Kai attacking?" Lee asked from behind me. "He's just letting himself get hit. He's sure to lose with a strategy like that."

"Don't underestimate him, Lee," Ray told him, "Kai has great power and he knows the best times to use them. He can adapt to different battle styles very easily."

_Like I don't already know that, Kon._ I fought the urge to roll my eyes. I gritted my teeth at the sight of Dranzer flying away from the barrage. Dricen's attack hardly missed. Which only meant that Kai saw it coming. _What kind of game is he playing at?_ I clenched my hands into fists as the blades continued to spin.

Dricen ran around the dish bashing into Dranzer, every now and then sinking his teeth into the bird's wing but still Kai didn't attack. He stayed on the defensive which wasn't like him at all. It was as if he were copying Max's style.

_That's it!_

"Heh heh, I gotta say Kai you pulled one over on me for a while," I chuckled while looking up at him. "Using Max's style until I ran out of juice. That's very smart and I commend you for coming up with the idea."

"What?" Ray and Max gasped.

"Well, it's understandable," Kenny explained. "Being on a team you could easily pick up on your teammates blading style, study them, and use their weaknesses and strengths to your advantage to help stack up the odds in a match."

"No way!" Tyson muttered.

"Yes way, Tyson. But the concept of studying must be foreign to you considering you've never opened a book before," Dizzi quipped.

Kai's glare got more intense if that were even possible but I knew what I was doing this time and I could take him now. There was no way I could lose; he was keeping too many spaces open. Then I felt a jolt as it hit me. That's what he _wanted_ me to think, so I'd use up all of my power in one attack and then he could easily knock me out. Geeze, this guy really knew how to twist things around, but I had a plan.

"Alright Drice', Arctic Strike, now!" I commanded. I could feel my adrenaline rushing through my veins. The ice shards struck Dranzer as expected and Dricen took to the air to take down the fire bird.

"Now, Dranzer!" Kai called out. Dranzer braced her talons on the ground and then shot up at Dricen, flames engulfing her body until she was a large fireball, rushing at Dricen.

"Dricen, get out of the way!" I called out, but I knew it was useless. Dricen was fast but not as fast as Dranzer. I squeezed my eyes shut at Dricen's yowl of pain. I stumbled backwards from the force of the attack and heard loud gasps behind me. I managed to catch my balance before I fell to the ground. Dranzer was relentless; she swooped down and continued to strike Dricen before he could move.

"C'mon Dricen, get up!" Hilary called.

"Dranzer, finish this," Kai ordered.

"I won't give up," I hissed. "Not yet. Not until I defeat you!" _I promised my mom and dad that I would not give up, even when the odds were against me. So give it your best Kai, I will not lose!_

Kai smirked. "Bring it on then."

"Grrr…_Dricen, ATTACK!"_

"_GO DRANZER!"_

Our beyblades charged right at each other, one covered in fire and one covered in ice. A bird's cry and a tiger's yowl filled the air before the beyblades smashed against each other. The result was a large explosion that rocked the very ground we were standing on. I strained to see through the bright light. I saw something flying at my face so I reached to grab at it. It smacked against my palm so hard I was thrown off of my feet and onto the ground. As the light died down I lifted the object to my face. I let out a little groan when I saw Dricen's picture looking back at me. "_Zhè shì bù kěnéng de,_" I muttered.

"Are you ok?" Julia asked as she rushed to my side. She grabbed my arm and helped me sit up. "That was some fight."

"You're…you're telling m-me," I panted. I closed my eyes and kissed the bitchip. "Great job, Drice'." I let Julia help me to my feet and dusted off the seat of my pants. I walked towards Kai and held out my hand. "Good battle," I said.

He looked down at my hand and then looked back up at me. I waited with my hand out, not breaking eye contact with him at all. "Aw, Crys, just drop it. He's not going to—" Tyson's words died on his lips when Kai reached out and grasped my hand, giving it a squeeze before letting go. "Has Hell frozen over or something?" He cried out. "I'm so confused."

"We should head back to the dojo," Kenny announced, standing up. "it's getting late and besides, I want to take a look at Kai's blade to make sure everything's working fine and we also need to decide on who's going to battle for the next two rounds should we make it that far."

"Well that's obvious, Kai and Tyson," I replied. Everyone turned to look at me. "What? It's a no-brainer," I said with a shrug.

"Even though, I'd like to discuss it."

"Over dinner I hope," Tyson moaned, holding his stomach. "I could eat a horse."

"I could arrange that for you," I said, throwing a grin in his direction. I shoved Dricen in my pocket and felt my shoulders droop. I was exhausted. I just wanted to take a hot bath and get some sleep. I started to follow the others as they walked up the slow but the look Kai was giving me stopped me.

"Hmm?" Ray looked over his shoulder at us. "You two coming?"

"We'll be there in a sec," I called back. He nodded and walked off with the others.

Kai took a bit to say something but finally he parted his lips and spoke. "How long?" He demanded. His voice was as rough as usual, but it seemed to have a new edge to it.

"How long what?" I asked.

"How long have you been keeping tabs on me?" Kai demanded. He didn't give me a chance to answer. "I'm not using Black Dranzer. That's what this is about, right? I don't have it and I never will. That's the only reason you're sticking around," he accused.

"It _was _the reason, I'll admit," I replied. "Hell, I wouldn't have bothered with this tournament if I weren't sure that it would eventually lead me to you. You're right, I could have easily left once I realized, in your battle against Tyson, that you were beyblading for a stronger reason. I could've left once I realized I wouldn't even battle in the tournament at all because of Lee and Ray but I didn't. I stuck around for a different reason. I want to beyblade. I don't care about tournaments or fame or glory or anything like that. I want people to know that I'm a force to be reckoned with and I can come out on top no matter what brings me down and, more importantly, I want to solidify the fact that girls can let it rip just as well as boys can." I noticed him tense. I was getting off-track. "And anyway, before you get mad at _me_ you should take it up with the guy who asked me to make sure you stayed away from Black Dranzer."

"And who was that?"

I sighed. "Your father."

Kai let out a gasp which he tried to stifle. I gave him a half smile. "You're lying," he finally managed to spit out.

I shrugged. "Believe me if you want, or don't, that's on you. I wouldn't blame you if you didn't believe me, though." I studied his face. He still hard the hard emotionless shell but there was something different in his eyes. They almost seemed to be softer. "I have a letter…from your father, if you want to see it. It explains everything."

"Get rid of it," he hissed.

"Are you sure?"

Kai didn't respond right away. When he did it was barely a whisper. "Yes." He turned and stalked off, the ends of his scarf billowing behind him.

* * *

_Why wouldn't he want to know anything about his parents? I gave him the best opportunity, I even flat out told him what I was doing _for_ this father but still, nothing. I would've accepted the letter, if I were in Kai's position….Well; I guess no one would want to be in his position. He knew nothing but isolation, pain, control, and greed._

I jumped when the end of a kendo stick was pointing right in my face, breaking me from my thoughts. Around me the White Tiger team chuckled as Grandpa Granger pulled the stick out of my face. Dinner was long from over but we had stuck around in the kitchen to have some tea while we waited to digest a bit before getting to desert. Tyson and the others were off somewhere, no doubt watching the past battles of the Justice 5 tournament that Kenny had recorded. I was surprised that we hadn't heard an argument between Hilary and Tyson yet, but it was only a matter of time before one spawned out of nowhere.

"Watch where you're pointing that, Grandpa," I grumbled, pushing the stick out of my face. He chuckled and went through a few maneuvers. The bamboo stick sliced through the air with power but with years of control.

"You used to be on top of your game, dawg," Grandpa commented, resting a palm on the end of his stick which he had pointed right at the floor. "Anything on your mind?" I grumbled under my breath. I could feel the others' eyes on me at that question. They tried to hide it by continuing to talk about the village and how everyone else was doing back there.

As if I'd give anything up. "Just this upcoming battle," I replied and then blew on my cup of tea. A strange feeling of guilt settled in the pit of my stomach. I brushed it off.

"You should be worried about those cookies you put in there," Lee said, nodding his head in the direction of the oven.

"My cookies are fine," I growled. Like Ray, cooking is a hobby that I took up when I was younger. I could do breakfast food, things for lunch, and dinner. Desserts were my main problem. I guess I wasn't that careful with desserts than I was with everything else.

"I don't know, Crys, you do have bad luck with desserts," Kevin said with a laugh. "Remember your dessert rice balls?"

"Hey, those were an experiment, OK? And I didn't hear Gary complaining," I said, jerking my thumb in his direction. Then I blinked. Crys? He hasn't called me that in so long….Was I getting too soft? Too close again?

"That's because Gary eats anything he sets his sights on."

"These will be good, I promise." Just then the bell rang. I jumped up and raced over to the oven. I almost had my have shoved into the oven when I remembered I needed a mitt. I quickly put it on and pulled out the cookies.

Mariah leaned over my shoulder and smells them. "They smell great," she said with a smile. "And look, Lee, they're not burnt this time," she added over her shoulder at the skeptical look on Lee's face. Next to him Ray remained silent but a smile was on his face.

"I remember those. They resembled hockey pucks," Kevin laughed, slamming his fist down on the table.

"One more crack out of you, I swear…" I grumbled, placing the hot pan on top of the stove and pulling off the oven mitt.

"They smell alright to me, home girl," Grandpa commented. "But we have to put it to the test."

Just then the sound of pounding footsteps filled the room until Tyson and Daichi burst in through the door. "I smell cookies!" They exclaimed in unison.

"Get out of the way!" Mariah cried while laughing, shoving me out of the way of the two boys who made a beeline for the tray. "Careful, you two, they're hot!" She added as they reached out their hands to grab a cookie.

They made a big show of blowing on them before taking a bite. I bit my lower lip as they took a bite into the cookie. They chewed rapidly but as the seconds passed their chewing slowed down. The next thing I knew they were battling each other to get to the trashcan. "What are you trying to do, poison us?" Daichi demanded.

"Oh come on, they're perfect this time!" I cried out, throwing my arms in the air. Daichi made a show of grabbing his throat and falling to the ground. I resisted the urge to kick the little monkey in the side. My desserts were not that bad!

"If you call 'perfect' using salt," Tyson gagged, wiping at his tongue with the back of his hand.

"What? I did not use salt!" I yelled after Tyson as he and Daichi ran off. Probably to wash out their mouths since they seemed to hate it so much. Sighing, I dumped the cookies into the trashcan.

"Don't fret, dudette, you did me a favor," Grandpa said with a bellowing laugh. "Now Tyson and Daichi won't raid the kitchen at all hours of the day." He slapped my shoulder so hard I almost fell over and he walked out of the kitchen.

"You should leave the cooking to Ray altogether unless you want to kill us all," Lee quipped, a smirk of amusement was on his face.

"Unless that's her diabolical plan," Kevin joked. He shrieked when I grabbed him and held him in a headlock. His hands flew up to my arm while he kicked his legs in the air. His legs kicked faster while I squeezed harder.

"That's it, Monkey! I've had just about enough of you!" I growled, squeezing tighter. He was really freaking out for no reason; I wasn't strong enough to hurt him that much, just freak him out a little. I expected Lee or Ray to stop me but they sat back, laughing all the while Kevin tried to get out of my grasp. Even Mariah, the peacemaker, didn't try to stop me. "Geeze, Kev, I thought you were stronger than this," I taunted him. "And if _you _think my desserts sucks I'd like to see you try it."

"Oh please, no. He'd put us in an early grave," Lee said, covering his mouth at the thought.

"Hey guys, Kenny wants to talk to us," Max called from the doorway. I let go of Kevin and he dropped to the ground in a heap.

"Man up," I chuckled as he jumped to his feet and raced out of the room as if I were chasing him. "Hey, where's Kai?" I asked, even though I already knew the answer.

"He's not here," Max replied as we gathered in the large meeting room of the dojo.

"So what else is new?" Tyson asked with an eye roll. "The sourpuss probably wants to save face. I don't blame him, deserting us like that."

"Tyson!" Hilary scolded.

"What?" Tyson asked hotly. "He's the one who decided to go against us to join BEGA. He's the one who fell off the face of the earth when he lost and now he thinks I'm going to sympathize? Fat chance."

"Surely you can see why he tried to join BEGA," I commented. "I mean, it's obvious, isn't it? Knowing Kai?"

"Why do you think he tried?" Max asked.

"To get another shot at battling Tyson, of course," I replied. "It's no surprise that Kai has some sort of score to settle with himself that he can only take up with him. Max, you and Ray are the same way. It's why you two went back to your other teams for this pervious tournament, right? To get a shot at Tyson because, with the Bladebreakers or BBA Revolution or whatever, you'd be a World Champion team but Tyson had a good chance of being World Champ again. When the team is apart, you have a better chance of a different member becoming champ instead of Tyson."

Tyson huffed. "You're blaming me for being good."

"She's not sticking the blame on you Tyson, she's merely stating a fact," Mariah said, shooting a soft smile in his direction. "How can the others get a chance with you being as good of a blader as you are. They're not saying that they're jealous or anything, you do have great power, but they all wanted an equal shot. I think what Crystal means is, when Brooklyn beat Kai, he didn't want to come back and face you until his pride didn't get in the way."

"And it took him this long? We could've swept BEGA by now!" Tyson groaned.

"Not necessarily," Kenny said, lifting a finger. "I commend Boris for the bladers he chose for part of his team. They sure aren't the normal recruits we'd expect—"

"Did you expect other people like the Blitzkrieg Boys or something?" Max asked. "I don't know about you guys, but they were scary."

"No, I didn't expect another group of bladders like the Blitzkrieg Boys but I also didn't expect him to bring in people of extremely different paths and talents," Kenny clarified. "Boris knew that they had strengths in different areas than we did and he's confident that they're going to win."

"You got that right," Max grunted. "Boris stopped me before my match and told me to make my battle more interesting because the audience would be bored if they won three battles in a row."

"I wish Boris would put his blade where his mouth is," Lee seethed. "If I could only get him in a dish with Galeon…."

"Calm down Lee," Ray scolded him. "It's not as if Boris would do something himself. He could get someone else to do to the dirty work for him." He sighed. "I feel bad for them, actually."

"Huh? Why's that, Ray?" Hilary asked.

"Because they're essentially a bunch of lab rats," he replied. "Beyblading first and foremost is about fun. Have you seen the way they trained? Where's the fun part of the sport? Tyson, do you blade to win tournaments and get fame?"

"No way, dude," Tyson replied, tugging off his hat and scratching at his head. "Fame's overrated."

"Oh yeah? Mr. Bobblehead?" Hilary asked dryly.

Tyson blushed and shoved his hat back onto his head. "Hey, I didn't ask for them to make those bobbleheads of me, they just did and they just so happened to sell fast."

"You and those bobbleheads have one thing in common."

"What's that?"

"You both have big heads!"

I chuckled as they started yelling at each other. Max groaned and held his face in his hands. Ray merely smiled at the sight. Kenny shrank where he was sitting as they yelled over him. Next to me Mariah was giggling. "They're so cute together," she sighed.

"When they're not being irritating, sure," I agreed.

"Guys, guys, let's get back to the topic at hand!" Kenny yelled. Tyson and Hilary looked at him as if seeing him for the first time and then sat back down on the ground, making sure not to look at each other. _Hmm, maybe she doesn't like Kai after all…. _"Anyway, Kai's made it known that he wants to battle against Brooklyn again. Garland is expecting to fight Tyson next. They don't know that we have Kai back. I say we give Kai what he wants and let him battle Brooklyn. He's arguably their strongest and Kai can hold on his own. If we get him out of the way, we have a better shot of beating Garland as well."

"So we switch up the battling order to try and throw them off," Ray muttered, rubbing his chin. "Do you think the element of surprise will last that long?"

"If not we can always use Brooklyn's confidence against him," I muttered. "It can only last for so long before it bites him in the butt, right? He has to make a mistake sooner or later."

"Brooklyn was born a natural," Kenny pointed out. "I don't think he's ever made a mistake in his life."

"So he's, like, a robot or something?" Kevin questioned.

"Not so much as he doesn't have to practice."

"Whoa," Mariah and I muttered in unison.

"So it's agreed? Kai's going against Brooklyn and Tyson with Garland?" Kenny asked, looking around.

"Can we have dessert now?" Gary asked, holding onto his growling stomach.

"Gary, we just had dinner," Mariah sighed.

"No we didn't, it was an hour ago."

"Garland's blading style is much like kickboxing, which is something he is partial to," Kenny started to explain. "He waits for his opponent to use up their energy and then he strikes, that way he doesn't have to work hard. Our best bet would be to draw him out at the same time and then weaken him."

"So, basically we're taking a chance," Ray mused.

"Aren't we always?" I asked. Then I stood and stretched. "Are we done here?"

"Is something wrong?" Hilary asked.

"Nah, I just want to take a walk," I replied.

"Want some company?"

"I'm just walking around the dojo; I don't need you holding my hand the entire way."

"If you happen to see Kai out there, send him in," Kenny told me.

"Will do."

I pulled open the sliding door that lead straight outside and closed it behind me. I slipped on my shoes and jumped off the small porch, walking in the direction of the path that lead to the sidewalk. I contemplated taking a walk down the street but I stopped myself. I didn't need another reason for them to freak out.

Letting out a sigh, I shoved my hands into my pocket and slowly circled the dojo. I stopped by the little koi pond and sat on the rocks that outlined it. The bright orange fish swam around in groups, taking over the space. I watched them for a little bit before standing to continue walking. A cluster of bright white flowers in the otherwise dark garden grabbed my attention.

Squinting in the moonlight, I walked over to it and kneeled. A picture in a bamboo frame sat at the head of the flower bed. I grasped it and picked it up, bathing it in the moonlight. A young looking woman wore a long, deep purple kimono in the picture. Her dark navy hair was in a ponytail and a flower was sticking out behind her ear. One arm held a navy haired baby closer to her chest and her other was wrapped around the shoulders of an older navy haired boy.

"That's my mom." I whirled around as Tyson walked forward and took the picture from my hand. "That was taken when I was about three months old," he said, smiling down at the picture. "Mom loved the garden, she spent a lot of time here. You see, she was a florist. Best one in town."

"What did she die from?" I questioned.

He kneeled and set the picture back down. "She died when I was four months old, from what Dad told me," he replied, crossing his arms over his chest. "She was sick with something. Before anyone could find out what it was she died."

"Oh. Ty, I'm sorry."

"Why?" He asked, looking at me. "It's not like you killed her," he added with a laugh.

"I know how hard it is to lose a parent."

He shook his head. "I hardly knew her, only things that Hiro and Dad have told me. I do remember her smile, though. Dad says I have the same one."

"Do you miss her?"

"Not really," he admitted. "I mean, I miss not being able to have a mom to do things with but I know that she's not suffering now. I've moved on." He tore his eyes away from the flowers and looked at me again. "You should too." I didn't reply. I couldn't. What did he know? My parents were murdered. "IT happened ages ago. Don't you think you owe it to yourself to move on?" He asked as if reading my mind.

"I have moved on," I replied.

"No you haven't," he stated. "It's because you won't let yourself move on. You won't let yourself let go of the idea that you could have saved them somehow, considering the circumstance surrounding your parents' death. It wasn't your fault, stop blaming yourself. They're in a better place."

I felt a weird jolt inside of me. My ears buzzed and my mouth turned dry. Maybe, just maybe, he was was right. I had been misplacing my blame for years without thinking about it, using my blame as dedication and determination to get stronger and better in blading. If I failed that, I could stick the blame at myself once more. This was too weird.

"I hope you didn't come out here to talk to me about this," I grumbled.

"No, I came to talk to you about Kai," Tyson replied.

"What about him?"

"That beybattle it was…too weird. Kai doesn't battle like that, it was as if he was challenging you or something," he said as he rubbed the back of his neck. "What's going on between you two?"

"It's not us, it's him and his father," I replied. He lifted his eyebrows. "I know, it's hard to believe. You see, I'm hired by him, in a way, to keep an eye on Kai and make sure that he didn't use the power of Black Dranzer just to fulfill his vow to defeat you. It's why I went back to the village in the first place. I figured if I joined my district team for the tournament I'd have a better chance of running into Kai."

"That's the only reason you went back home?"

"Well, yeah, I was banished after all. I mean, I was wrongly accused, but what can you do?"

It took Tyson a while to find something to say. "Why do you beyblade?"

"It's fun," I replied. "Takes my mind off of things. I'm actually kind of good at it," I added with a little laugh. "Mainly, to travel and learn new things. The world is only so big, you know? Better to get all the information from it as you can at a young age when you can. Being banished was a blessing in disguise." He cracked a smile but it was soon replaced by a serious look. It was the most intense look I've ever seen on his face. "What's up, Ty?"

"I want you to blade against Garland," he replied.

I laughed. "Nice one, Tyson," I muttered once I calmed down.

"I'm being serious. I want you to blade against Garland." I looked at him as if he had grown a second head. He was downright crazy. "You stuck around and trained with us and saw us at our worst. You're the only other one who can control the heavy metal system blade. And, I know you can win."

"Tyson—"

He held up his hand. "When you win, I'll take on the tie breaker battle."

"Tyson—"

He interrupted me again. "Don't make me change my mind, OK?" I gave a half smile and nodded and stiffened slightly when he stepped forward and hugged me. I gently squeezed him back and felt a weigh being lifted off my shoulders. _Tyson sure has grown up,_ I mused. "And besides, they won't suspect you battling against them," he added once he pulled away. "Should be an interesting battle."

"Yeah yeah," I mumbled with a wave of my hand.

"So, about the Kai thing…"

"Ty, drop it. Honestly, I shouldn't have told you. It's not really your business anyway."

"I was going to say you owe it to your team to tell them the reason why you returned. You've been leading them on, in a way, and Ray doesn't deserve it. Not that the others do!"

"I think I get what you mean," I laughed. "You mind bringing them out here?"

"No problem. But don't stay out too late. Grandpa freaks out at anything that moves out here late at night, thinking someone's going to rob him." He rolled his eyes and went back into the dojo, yelling at Ray on the way in. I cringed and a weight sat on my chest. I started pacing and twisting my fingers. _Where should I start? They deserve to hear the whole truth but…even I don't know what that is anymore. I just hope they're not mad. _I twisted my mouth to the side at the last thought. Since when did I care how they felt?

The whole time, I already knew that. I just wouldn't allow myself to admit it. They were my friends since I was born, even while I was gone I wondered what they were up to and contemplated writing them but my pride got in the way. But I _missed_ them dearly and I longed to have some normalcy of my life back so I guess starting here was the best option.

"What's wrong? Tyson said it was urgent," Lee panted as he and the others burst out of the dojo. His launcher was up and ready.

I rolled my eyes. "Geeze, he sure knows how to over dramatize everything," I mumbled. "Put Galeon down, nothing's wrong. I wanted to um, com clean I guess."

"With what?" Kevin asked, looking up at me with his big violet eyes.

"About why I returned to the village," I replied. "I haven't been totally honest."

So I took a deep breath and told them everything from start to finish, about what happened immediately after I left the village, how I managed to travel to different countries, and why I really returned to the village. Kevin's eyes got about as wide as saucers the longer I spoke. Gary's face held the normal vacant expression on it. Lee and Ray were apathetic, and Mariah had tears falling from her eyes by the time I was finished.

"What made you want to share this with us?" Mariah asked, wiping at her eyes.

"We're a team, right?" I asked. "And we were friends first and they call it the past for a reason so…"

"And it's all forgotten!" Mariah gushed before lunging forward and wrapping her arms around my neck in a hug.

"Ugh, no hugging!" I grumbled, pushing her away as the others laughed.

"So there are no more secrets?" Ray asked.

"No, but I do have a bone to pick with you people," I replied. "What's the deal with me coming back and you all being so damn hostile but when it comes to Ray leaving you were mad at him and then boom, flowers and sunshine and you're all happy and friends again? What's with the double standard here?"

"Wait, how'd you know I left?" Ray asked. "I left after you did."

"Did you think I lived under a rock these past eight years?" I asked with a roll of my eyes. "I went to every part of any tournament that the Bladebreakers were entered in." I then added with a smirk, "I had to make sure this guy didn't besmirch the White Tiger name." I jerked my thumb in his direction.

He playfully punched my shoulder while the others laughed and draped his arm around my shoulders. I did my best to laugh with them but my mind was far away. A small piece of it was concentrating on the sudden weight of his arm around my shoulders.


	23. Chapter 23

**Twenty-Three**

"What's with the smile?" Hilary's voice broke my concentration. I froze, my hand still gripping the comforter and sheets that I had been pulling back. I forced the corners of my mouth down before I turned around and looked at her. Her eyebrows were raised and she was looking right at me while pulling her hair back into a ponytail.

"What smile?" I questioned, pulling back the covers the rest of the way and sitting down. I pulled my hair out of my ponytail and gathered up the long strands in my hands. Then I separated them into three different strands and started braiding it. It made sleeping with long hair much easier if it were in a braid.

Hilary didn't answer my question as she climbed into bed. "So, everything's worked out now?" She asked.

I shrugged. "Guess so. It's like weight has been lifted off of my shoulders."

"I'm glad you're all friends again."

I smiled. "Me too. It'd be unbearable having to go aback if we weren't on good terms."

"Yeah." I looked up at her at the distracted tone in her voice. She played with some loose threads on her comforter; her eyes were crinkled in the corners as if she were deep in thought. "I was wondering," she started.

"Yes?" I prompted when her voice trailed off.

She let out a breath and then sucked another one in, as if nervous to ask the question that was on her mind. "If you know Kai…do you know the others too?" She asked.

"The others…? You mean the Blitzkrieg Boys?" I questioned, filling in the blank. She nodded. "No, I don't know them," I replied. "I never met them before, I just hear about them from time to time."

"But…you're worried about Tala. I assumed—"

"That I knew him as well," I interrupted her. She nodded again. "No." I did my best to shake my head without messing up my braiding. "I know of them. I've only met Kai, and that was in passing, really. With Tala…I'm more pissed about what Boris did to him to get back to where he was before. He'll knock anyone he deems weak out of his way and he almost killed Tala, indirectly of course. I'm not going to sit around and let him kill again. Not if I can stop it, or help stop it for that matter."

"That's what you're blading for?"

"Yes, it's what I'm blading for. He needs to pay for what he did and a public downfall is the best way to do it," I replied.

"Do you not like tournaments or anything?"

"Well, the only tournaments around were the ones held by the BBA and you'd need a team to be able to blade in them," I explained, finishing my braid and securing the bottom with a small rubber band. I moved my braid over my shoulder and felt a small tug at the back of my head from the weight of it. "And, seeing as I was never on a team when the tournaments rolled around, I never entered. It's just as well, I don't like the idea of tournaments anyway?"

"Why not? You get to travel all over the world and meet new people and can get immersed in different cultures," she explained.

"A tournament's just an excuse to be able to do those things," I pointed out. "You could easily get some money, hop on a plane, and just go. To me, tournaments are all about fame and popularity. You have to follow rules to blade in a tournament. I like to blade for fun, because it _is_ fun. Blading is important to me but…I don't see myself doing it for the rest of my life. That's Tyson's thing, I could easily see him blading for a long time. I want to do something different, something that could take me around the world and learn everything that I can about the world that's being offered out there." I blinked. "Why the sudden interest?"

"Just asking," she replied.

"Uh huh," I muttered, not buying it at all. No one asks me these things because they were 'just asking'. Hell, I hardly gave out the information so I guess I trusted her to some extent.

"Anyway, I was thinking about your situation. With Kaoru, I mean, and it reminds me a lot of the boys' situation with the Saint Sheilds," Hilary continued.

"The who?" I asked, tilting my head in curiosity.

"The Saint Shields," she repeated. "They were this group of mysterious bladders that followed them around last year, battling them with invisible bit beasts to test if they were worthy of their bitbeasts or not. It turns out that they were really trying to make sure they were strong enough to _keep_ their bitbeasts from anything they fought against. It sounds like Kaoru's doing the same thing to you. You said he was strong but he's never actually done anything to take your bitbeast away so he must be helping you."

"And here I thought you didn't know anything about beyblading," I commented with a slow grin. She flushed and turned her head away. "Or maybe if it comes out of Tyson's or Kai's mouths—_mmmf_!" I grunted when the pillow Hilary threw hit me right in the face. "Hey, this is payback," I said before throwing the pillow back at her.

She rolled her eyes and fluffed her pillow before lying back down. "Whatever. Do you want the light out"

"Not just yet, I'm going to read a bit but I want some water first," I replied, getting out of bed and turning on the lamp. I switched off the light switch on my way out of the room and walked down the dark halls, carefully. If you didn't have your guard up there was a really good chance that Grandpa Granger would attack you with his kendo stick because he'd think you were a burglar or something. The old man's memory was slipping, I swear.

"What're you still doing up?" Ray asked as soon as I stepped foot in the kitchen. He was standing by the sink, scrubbing some of the leftover cookie remains that were stuck on a pan.

"What're _you_ still doing up?" I replied. "I'm sure the dishes could've waited until morning."

"I couldn't sleep," he replied, shifting his attention back to the dishes in the sink. "So, what brings you here?"

"I just want some water, and then I'll hit the sack," I replied. "Hilary said something about a team called the Saint Shields…" I stopped at the loud clanging sound that reached my ears when Ray dropped the pan he had been holding and looked at me. "Whoa, what'd I say?"

"The Saint Shields?" he repeated. I nodded. "What about them?"

"Just that she said that Kaoru reminded her of the people from the Saint Shields team and how they attacked you to get you ready for some big challenge that was to come your way or something," I replied.

"Huh…" Ray muttered, grabbing a glass and filling it with water. Wordlessly he held it out to me. I took the glass with a nod and ignored the tiny monster that jumped in my chest when our fingers touched. "She might have something there, I never thought of it that way."

"So was that the team with the girl on it that you liked?" I asked, feeling a wicked smile form on my face. I can't help it, I love messing with him. He makes it too easy.

"No, that was team Psykick," he replied in a distracted tone.

"Oh, so you admit it," I laughed gleefully. "Raymond, Raymond, Raymond, what would your fiancé think?"

He rolled his eyes. "You have your water; you can go to bed now."

I shook my head. "Don't think you can change the subject. I still want to know who I'm engaged to. No one will tell me so it must be big if it's that much of a secret." I tapped my chin while I tried to think of who it could be when a horrifying thought occurred to me. _No…I couldn't be…_ "I'm not engaged to…you, am I?" I asked slowly.

"Why? Are you preparing to leave me already?" He asked dryly.

"Oh dear Lord, I am!" I cried out in horror.

Oops, he looked offended. Probably should've tried to keep the fear out of my voice with that little outburst. "Relax, we're not engaged." He crossed his arms over his chest and studied me. I made a face and tugged on my bangs. "Do you really want to know?"

"No, I've been hounding you about it because it's fun," I replied. I paused and added, "Well, it is fun bugging you but, yes, I really want to know."

"Ok," he sighed and then looked me in the eye. "You're engaged to Lee."

"I'm engaged to L-L-L…to…to…" I couldn't even get his name out. Lee. _Lee!_ Him of all freaking' people! "You're bluffing."

"I have no reason to," he replied. "I'm being honest, you're engaged to Lee."

"B-b-but…it could be null and void. Because of my banishment," I tried. There was no way in this world I could be engaged to him. I did _not_ want to be related to that…that pink haired ball of everlasting happiness.

"That you'd have to take up with Elder." I flinched out of instinct when he reached out his hand. With a smirk he rested it on my head and ruffled my hair as I glared at him under his arm. "But don't worry; chances are you won't have to go through with it. As soon as you came back to town Lee came to his senses about the whole thing."

Did he just… "Aw, shuddup!" I made a face at my weak attempt at a comeback. My mind was still reeling from everything; that was the best I could do on such short notice. I shoved his hand away while he laughed and grabbed my glass. Stomping out of the room I spat over my shoulder, "Thanks for the water" and left the kitchen.

_Geeze, that guy thinks he's so damn funny…_ I fumed while walking back to my room. I didn't have enough time to react when I slammed into a wall of muscle. The water in the glass sloshed over my arm as I tried to catch my balance and see who I had crashed into. "Kai! God, why don't you watch where you're going," I grumbled. I moved to walk past him but he flung and arm out, blocking my path. "Do you mind?" I asked.

"Why are you still here?" he demanded, his voice gruff. His eyes hardened under the glow of the moonlight. "You've done your job. I'm not using that…that _thing_. You can go now. Your job is done," he hissed.

I ducked under his arm and glared at him. "My job is far from over, Kai. Far from it." I felt my lip curl while turning the corner. _As long as Boris isn't stopped I'm not done with my job._

* * *

**A short chapter but an important one nonetheless nd now you finally know who she's engaged to. I had you guys waiting a while for that, huh? Please read and review.**

**~C.M.**


	24. Chapter 24

**Twenty-Four**

"Lee?" Hilary and Max repeated in unison the next morning.

"Yes, Lee! Of all freaking people they try and set me up with it has to be _Lee_!" I cried out, throwing my hands into the air and stopped my pacing. It was a good thing that the other Tigers didn't sleep at Tyson's dojo or else I'd have to suffer in silence. But I couldn't hold this in long. I couldn't even get to sleep last night for the very thought that I was engaged to Lee.

I mean, he wasn't a bad person, when he was calm. Otherwise he was stubborn beyond belief, he jumped to conclusions, he ran into things without even thinking about the consequences, he was quick to anger, and he always seemed to have a huge amount of self-pity whenever something he does doesn't come out right. I can't deal with someone like that.

"Well, maybe Ray's lying," Max suggested.

I scoffed. "He's not lying. He finds great enjoyment out of my misery," I replied, tugging at my braid to get my hair out. Once it was all free I tied it back up into a ponytail.

"Well…is it a binding contract or something?" Hilary asked.

I shrugged. "Beats me. The village holds tradition on a very high pedestal. Breaking an engagement probably isn't only a sin, but it's frowned upon. One would most likely be kicked out of their family if not the village."

"Well, you wouldn't really have to worry about it that much," Hilary said slowly. "With your parents being…you know."

"Dead," I confirmed for her. "You can say the word, I've dealt with it." I sighed and ran a hand through my hair, pushing my bangs away from my eyes briefly. "What kind of joke is this?" I muttered more to myself than to them.

"You're not going to consider marrying him, are you?" Hilary asked.

"Geeze, Hil, he's not _that_ bad," I commented.

"I think what she means is you have a choice," Max spoke up. "I mean, you've been out of the village for years now so the rules shouldn't apply to you, right?"

"That depends on who you're asking," I grumbled, biting my thumbnail. "It doesn't matter, though. We should be focusing on the upcoming match. How do you think Kai's going to do?"

"It's hard to say," Max replied. "I know he wants to do a rematch with Brooklyn and he's a pretty strong dude. Kai had to have worked really hard to take him on again."

"Do you think he can do it?" Hilary asked.

"I do," I replied. "He's a strong blader, arguably the best in the world. He already knows what kind of power Brooklyn has so he probably modified his own strategies to fight him. I think he'll do a good job."

"But do you think he'll win?" Hilary asked.

I shrugged. "Hard to tell," I admitted. "Hard to tell."

* * *

"It's day four of the Justice 5 Tournament! And if G Revolutions loses this battle then it looks like BEGA is going to be in charge of the beyblading world!" DJ Jazzman announced.

A paper ball hit the tv screen. I looked over my shoulder to see Daichi fuming. I rolled my eyes at his behavior. He had a right to be upset, hell I was angry myself but he was just doing his job.

"I wish he'd have more faith in us," Max muttered from next to me.

"He's just amping up the crowd, Max," Kenny said from behind his laptop. "Don't take what he says personally."

"Just focus on the match, Kai, and we'll have this one in the bag," Tyson said confidently. Kai, who was leaning against the wall with his eyes closed, and arms crossed over his chest like usual. He didn't utter a word since he got up this morning or look at anyone. I guess that was his way of getting himself pumped or something. Tyson looked at the clock on the wall and then let out a sigh. "You guys ready to go?" He asked.

I nodded and stood with the others. I could already feel the tension rising. Judging by the nervous look on Hilary's face she could feel it too. As we navigated the halls to get to the arena DJ Jazzman's voice came out of the speakers and the screens that seemed to be installed on every free space of wall possible.

"So here's the situation, kids. The BEGA bladders are leading this fight with two wins and a tie. If they win the next battle then it's all over for G Reolutions. But don't think Tyson and his team are down for the count, this is far from over. The BEGA bladders are ready. But where in the world is the next blader for the G Revolutions? We're waiting but no one's here and, more importantly, who's their fifth blader?"

_Geeze, that guy really needs to shut up_, I mused as we walked towards the doors that opened up to the floor of the arena.

"The crowd is getting antsy. They deserve to know."

"You guys ready for this?" Tyson asked, without turning around. We were a few paces away from standing out there and accepting our fate.

"Lead the way, dude," Ray told him.

Tyson nodded and we all walked out. The sound of the audience swelled while we made our entrance. The BEGA bladders looked at us as if we were slime on the bottom of their shoes. I smirked. They won't know what's coming at them, I'm sure they all suspect that either Tyson or I will take the next match.

"Get ready, boys and girls! The competition has arrived and Tyson is in no mood to lose this battle!" DJ Jazzman announced.

"None of us are, Jazzman," Max mumbled under his breath.

"So, I see you made it," Garland said from across the floor. "I thought for sure you'd chicken out, Tyson."

Tyson smirked. "Oh, I made it but I'm not going to be the one you're battling."

"What?" Garland laughed. "I'm going to be battling _her_?" He nodded in my direction. "Don't waste my time."

"Why that—" I snarled, my hands clenching into fists.

"Relax, don't let him get to you," Ray told me, grabbing me by the shoulder.

"Easy for you to say. You didn't have to deal with a pompous jerk."

"Use your anger in your battle."

"You're not going to battle me. Check this out," Tyson said, pointing at the door where we came out of. Heads as far as the eye could see looked in the direction he was pointing and I swear I heard a lot of people suck in their breaths.

"_Whoa_! Unreal!" DJ Jazzman gasped as Kai walked out.

"Well, it appears some crybaby ran home to his mommy," Garland taunted.

"You're wrong, Garland," Tyson said with the most confidence I've ever heard in his voice. "And we've decided that Kai will battle in the fourth round."

"Well…let's go!" Hilary said impatiently. "Or are all you BEGA brats too scared to finish the tournament?"

"Oh please. I hate to be the one to remind you, Hilary, but Kai _lost _the match at the BEGA preliminaries," Ming Ming said.

"And now you think you're going to beat us with this worn out blader?" Garland scoffed.

I felt my blood boil as the kids in the audience started chanting about Kai being a traitor. They knew nothing about him, how dare they say that? It looked like Hilary was getting steamed too. If she bit her lip any harder her teeth would go through it.

"Hey Brooklyn," Kai spoke up, silencing almost everyone around him. "It's _you_ I want."

"Want a little cheese with that whine?" I mumbled under my breath as Brooklyn kept sighing and finally got to his feet. We turned and walked towards our side of the dish.

"Kai," Tyson muttered.

"Hey Tyson, I hope you realize that a tie's not an option," Kenny told him.

"It's not me you have to convince, Chief," Tyson pointed out.

Kai stopped walking so suddenly that Tyson almost ran into him.

"C'mon Kai," Daichi said.

"If we lose this one it's the end of the line," Hilary added.

"You can do it, bud," Ray said.

"Do it for the team, pal," Max agreed.

"We're counting on you," I finished.

Kai didn't say anything but moved to take the stairs up to his blading platform. "Don't worry; I know what I have to do and I'll get it done," he vowed.

He paused on the stairs and said some things about destiny and it being his turn. I think he finally lost it if he hadn't lost it already. Hilary and I took our seats on the bench. I couldn't remain standing like the others, I'd lose my mind and I was sure I wouldn't have any control over my actions. I glanced up at the box that Boris was standing in and saw him smirking and cracking his knuckles.

That cocky bastard.

After waiting on baited breath the battle finally started. They launched their beyblades. Kai's Dranzer was surrounded in a blue-ish purple flame. I knew Kai's strategy was to knock people out and end a battle as soon as possible but if he used all of his energy up in the beginning like that just to prove to Brooklyn that he's stronger he was sure to lose.

Dranzer attacked Brooklyn's blade repeatedly and it looked like it didn't do any damage. One small hit from Brooklyn and Dranzer was sent flying into one of the walls of the mini city in the dish. Kai's hands clenched into fists and I could hear low growls all the way from where I was sitting. Now every time Dranzer started to attack Brooklyn evaded him easily, as if he were playing some sort of game.

"He's being an ass," I hissed.

"But…Brooklyn's just dodging Kai's attacks," Hilary said, clearly confused.

"You don't get it. Brooklyn's strong, Kai knows that. It's sort of like an insult when a blader won't attack," I explained. As if he heard my words Brooklyn started attacking Dranzer from any side he could reach, barely giving him time to counterattack. _Speak of the devil…_

"No!" Kenny gasped. "Kai's getting blown away in there! At this rate Brooklyn's going to win the battle before Kai even knows what hit him!"

"Are you saying our Hard Metal System is totally useless against him, Chief?" Ray asked in disbelief.

"No!" Max gasped.

"Let's think positive guys, alright?" Tyson said. We all turned to look at him. "We've got to stick together as a team."

"Oh man, he's really getting hammered," Hilary said.

"Why do you even bother?" Brooklyn called over to Kai. "You know you can't win. You're wasting my time."

Kai let out a laugh. "Now I get it. You know, at first I thought you were able to beat me but I just figure out I'm beating myself. And now the game changes. I'm about to kick this battle up a notch and when I do, you're going to be history."

"Go ahead," Brooklyn said nonchalantly. "But don't think I don't have my own tricks."

"Oh man," I muttered, watching the battle. With a swing of his arm Brooklyn's blade smashed into Dranzer over and over again, bashing the blade into the wall and not giving it enough time to hit the ground and regain its spin. The last hit had enough force to knock Kai off of his pedestal and into the dish.

"Whoa, what's going on?" Hilary gasped as Kai started to…started to glow. A strange gray glow surrounded him as he talked to himself. A crazy look formed in his eye, one I've only seen once before but it was still enough to send a chill down my spine.

"Now what?" Ray asked.

"No way!" Kenny cried out at the sight. "How in the world did he do that? And how did he suddenly get all of his power?"

"It's too weird," Ray commented. "Something strange is going on."

"I'm real worried about Kai," Hilary said, looking at the rest of us. "Do you guys think he's alright?"

"Kai!" Max called.

"Man, I wish he'd answer us so at least we'd know what's going on out there," Daichi said.

"Tyson, we gotta do something and quick," Max said to him.

"Not yet!" Tyson replied. His hands which were resting on his knees curled into fists. He started trembling to try and hold himself back. "Just let him play! I don't know what's up but I got a feeling it's some sort of strategy. At least, I hope."

"But Tyson, we can't!"

"_No!_ I say we don't interfere! This one's his battle _and we stay put on the sidelines_," he said firmly.

"But what if he gets hurt?" I asked no one in particular.

"I know Kai, he'd rather die giving it all he's got than not give it his all," Ray replied.

"Oh my gosh, look at that!" Hilary cried out, pointing. The gray smoke that surrounded his blade started to swirl and resemble a hurricane with orange glowing flecks, like there were embers nestled inside.

"It looks like a shooting star," I mused as Dranzer moved fast, faster than I've ever seen in my life. "I've never seen this power before in my life."

The battled continued and it seemed like Kai was going to win until Brooklyn essentially copied what Kai was doing and his blade got surrounded by black and purpled smoke. When Dranzer tried to attack it it ran right into some sort of shield and bounced off harmlessly. Dranzer attacked again and again while Brooklyn just stood by and laughed.

"What is that thing?" Hilary asked as the darkness surrounding Brooklyn's blade got bigger.

"It's…it's a black hole!" I gasped. "It's sucking in Kai's power! _Run, Dranzer, run_!"

"Looks like we're gonna lose!" Daichi moaned.

"Hey, you mind zipping it, Daichi?" Tyson demanded. "This match is far from over."

"Yeah, but…"

"This is a _team_. And no matter what happens we have to believe in each other, and if we believe maybe we…can send him energy."

"Whoa, you're right!" Ray said. "It could just work."

"Well, let's try it, then," Max suggested.

"You can count me in," Daichi said.

"Me too," I agreed, nodding.

"Ok, I'm in too," Hilary said.

"Hey Kai! You can do this!" Tyson called over the roar of the wind.

"Yeah, don't give up bud!" Max yelled.

"Give it all you've got!" Ray yelled.

"We believe in you, Kai!" I shouted.

"Look! Dranzer's glowing again," Hilary observed happily.

I held my breath and watched as the light around Dranzer got brighter and it shot forward. I let it out and grinned when Dranzer managed to burst through the shield that surrounded Brooklyn's blade and smashed it out of the dish. It managed to land back inside of the dish but it started wobbling a bit.

"Kai, come to your senses and pack it in!" Ray ordered.

"You gotta remember it's only a game!" Max added.

Max, Ray, and Daichi all jumped off the bench and tried to get to Kai but Hilary and Kenny managed to hold them off. I looked over at Tyson who sat on the bench with his head down, shaking a bit harder than before.

_It's just a match Kai, don't overdo it, _I thought while biting my thumbnail.

"Dranzer's in rough shape, I don't think he can take anymore," Kenny said as Hilary, Daichi, and I crowded around his laptop. "If Kai's not careful his days of blading could be over!"

"You mean it?" Hilary gasped.

"I'm afraid so."

I clenched my teeth. _C'mon Kai, you can do this. Do it for your father, after everything that he's been through to protect the sport. You can't let him down now!_

Once again Max and Ray tried to move towards the dish so they could help Kai. This time Tyson got off the bench and stopped them but stepping in front of them. He looked as if he were about to cry out of frustration. I knew how the kid felt.

"I want to help Kai," Tyson said. "But I promised I wouldn't interfere. I know if I was in the same position he's in he wouldn't break his promise to me and if I stop this match now I'll never be able to look him in the eye ever again." Ray dropped the hand that had been holding onto Tyson's collar. "Please guys, I'm begging you: Don't ask me to break my promise to Kai. I can't do it. I _won't_. For Kai." Tyson turned around and looked out at the battlefield. "Kai, hang on man."

I looked up at Boris's box again and saw him looking right at me, the smirk on his lips getting bigger. I tore my eyes away from him and looked at the battle again, trying to ignore the feeling of being watched. Kai looked exhausted, it was so hard seeing him like this.

"I understand this is important but…it's only a game of spinning tops," Hilary said.

"It's not just a game to Kai," I said quietly. "Beyblading is his life. It's…what took his father away."

"What?" She whispered but I ddn't reply.

Dranzer gave off one more attack, a bright tornado of flame. The next thing I knew Kai had collapsed on his pedestal and there was a huge cloud of smoke coming from one of the buildings in the dish. _No! It' can't be over!_

"Hey, wait!" Tyson cried out, pointing in the dust.

"Dranzer's still spinning!" Hilary cheered, jumping up and down in celebration while Kai managed to get back to his feet. One hit had him knocked back down again but he still got back onto his feet. Every time he got knocked down he would get right back up. I don't know how much longer he could keep getting up. Even Brooklyn was starting to look scared.

"Brooklyn looks like he's losing it," I commented. "Look at him, this is driving him crazy."

"Kai better attack now before Brooklyn gets it back again," Ray said.

"I don't understand!" Brooklyn gasped, holding his head.

"I don't think you will understand," Kai told him. "Because you're not a true blader! You have the power and the skill but something's missing from inside you! You don't have the beyblading spirit! _That's why I have to win this battle! Because beyblading means more to me than you could ever understand! IT'S NOT JUST A GAME TO ME! FINISH HIM NOW DRANZER!"_

With a loud cry, Dranzer came out of Kai's blade surrounded by the brightest fire I have ever seen. Dranzer swooped towards Brooklyn and hit his blade head on in mid air. It seemed like all of the air in the room had been sucked out as we all held our breaths. I let it out as if someone had hit me in the back when I saw that Brooklyn's black blade land outside of the dish.

"_IT'S OVER!_" DJ Jazzman yelled over the roar of the crowd.

"HE DID IT!" Hilary and I cheered in unison before throwing our arms around Max and giving him a hug in celebration.

"Kai beat 'im! Excellent," Ray gushed.

"He really is the best," Max added.

Kai was fine walking down the stairs and over to the group but then he tripped over his feet and almost fell forward. Good think Tyson was there to catch him and keep him from busting his face open.

"Should we call a doctor?" Daichi asked.

"I think we should take him to the doctor," Tyson replied.

"No way!" Kai said firmly. "I'm OK.

"Kai, just take it easy. We'll walk out of here together."

"I'm fine, Tyson, I don't need your help," Kai reiterated. "Just worry about her upcoming match," he said, nodding in my direction.

"You don't have to worry," I told him with a wave of my hand and as much confidence that I could muster. "I guarantee I'll win, easy,"

"And after that I want a battle with you," Tyson told him. "I _still_ think I can teach you a thing or two."

Kai nodded. "I'll see you later." As he turned to walk away he paused and looked at me. I couldn't read the look in his eyes but I didn't look away from him. His lip curled in the corner a bit and he reached out a hand. He placed it on my head and gently ruffled my hair. "You'll do fine," he told me and then walked off the arena floor.

I sure hope so, this whole tournament is riding on my shoulders now.

No pressure.


	25. Chapter 25

** Twenty-Five**

As soon as the battle was over we went back to our meeting room to debrief and go over Kai's battle again. While Tyson basically recapped the entire battle for anyone within earshot, as well as Daichi jumping in to add something Tyson missed, I sat in my chair quietly watching everyone. I didn't know what t say, which was very odd for me, even I'll admit that. I just couldn't get over what Kai did.

He basically risked himself and Dranzer just to win, to keep the innocence of Beyblading intact. I knew he was a strong blader but I didn't know he was _this_ strong. It's obvious that beyblading meant more to him than anyone else, no matter what they said.

Everyone in the room was talking quietly about the match that had just unfolded in front of them. Tyson was energized about what he witnessed and couldn't wait to fight him later, like promised. It was odd to see them get all worked up over that one battle. Before they always said to pay more attention to the next battle and not dwell on the one that was just fought but they couldn't stop talking about Kai. It was starting to make me uncomfortable. Did they expect _me_ to fight like that? I don't even know if I'm capable to going that far in a battle.

"Crys, you OK?" Hilary asked from beside me. She was sitting on the arm of the chair I was sitting in and looking down at me with her big ruby red eyes.

"Yeah," I replied. "Just thinking about Kai's match, that's all." Which I was doing, but now it was giving me a headache as well as amping up the pressure I was feeling from those around me. It was stifling and made me want to jump out of my seat and hightail it out of here.

My fingers twitched against the armrest. I couldn't stay in here anymore. I felt everyone's eyes on me as I stood up. "I'm going to take a walk," I told them and then instantly regretted it. I could tell by the way Ray was looking at me that he was against the idea. I fought the urge to roll my eyes. I wasn't six, for crying out loud. "No I don't want company," I added when I saw Mariah open her mouth. "And yes I'm sure," I added, stopping Max from saying anything. "I'll be fine."

I left the building as quickly as possible and let out the breath that I had been holding. The pressure from the others was getting worse. They didn't say anything to me but I could tell what they were all thinking and what they wanted to say to me but were smart enough to keep their mouths shut.

I needed to be alone for a while.

I just kept walking wherever my feet would take me. I looked around at the random faces around me but didn't pay too much attention to them. Most of the people on the streets were wearing business suits and had their cell phones held up to their ears. They didn't even realize that the world around them was changing because of these battles. To them blading was probably just a game. But it's not a game.

It's a way of life.

I looked up and found my destination. The hospital. I twisted my mouth to the side. Kai should've been in there by now. No one would be able to walk by him at that last match and just let him suffer. He has to be in here.

I went up to the front desk and asked about him. It took the receptionist a few minutes to actually get back to me on his condition. Of course, she wouldn't say anything about it because I wasn't family. I explained his situation, hoping that it'd get me into his room but she still held fast onto the rules and regulations of the place.

Finally Mr. Dickenson showed up and got clearance. I wasn't prepared to see Kai in the state that he was in. He was lying down on the bed with a mask over his face, like Tala. I almost didn't recognize him except for the tuft of slate gray hair that stuck out of the bandages that wrapped around him. Most of his face was wrapped up; his left eye, his nose, and his mouth were clear so he was able to breathe. Everything else was bandaged.

"Oh, Kai," I muttered, looking him over. "You went too far."

"Kai's always been a passionate blader," Mr. Dickenson commented. He took off his hat and wiped sweat off of his large forehead. "We knew that he would do anything for the sport. We never thought he would take it this far, though."

I knew. It was all because of his father leaving. It was only game or a hobby to the rest of us but Kai lived and breathed it. It's why he formed the Blade Sharks in the first place, I finally learned from his father. It was because he wanted to destroy the things that took his dad away. He didn't understand that his father left to keep the spirit of Beyblading alive but Kai took it the wrong was. Was it his idea to turn his back on his father his own? I don't know, but I know for sure that he still wasn't truly over it and that battle basically proved it.

"Will he be OK?" I asked Mr. Dickenson, finally turning to look at him.

"He should be fine," he replied. "The doctors said that he'll be weak for the next couple of days and it will take a bit for him to get back onto his feet but, overall, he'll go back to the way he was in a matter of days, if not weeks. Two weeks at the most."

I could feel rage bubbling in my chest and I clenched my hands into fists. Boris was ruining everything. That low piece of dirt shouldn't even be allowed to walk on the face of the Earth, let alone go along with life as if he didn't care that he, inadvertently, put Kai and Tala in the hospital.

_I'll blade for you two. I'll blade and I'll win to avenge your situations. Boris will wish that he had killed me that night with my parents. I swear it. _I briefly looked up at the ceiling, as if looking past it at something else. _I'll win for you too, Mom and Dad. I won't let you two down? Are you proud of me? Do you see how far I've come?_

I sighed and sat down in one of the chairs, looking out the window while Mr. Dickenson moved around, placing flowers and balloons in different places to try and light up the room. I knew, for the most part, that it was from the girls. The guys were the type that attacked first and took down names later; they'd want to get Boris back as soon as possible.

And now they had to put their faith in me to do it.

"Where are you off to?" Mr. Dickenson when I stood after it felt like hours that I was sitting down.

"I'll be back later, Mr. D," I replied. "It's best that I get some food and sleep. I'll visit tomorrow morning before the match."

He nodded. "Yes, that'll be best."

I nodded in response. "Do me a favor. When he wakes up, give this to him." I reached into my pocket and pulled out the letter that I had been carrying around with me for the past couple of years. Mr. Dickenson looked at it before taking the letter out of my head.

"I promise, I'll give it to him."

"Thank you."

At least I'll be able to sleep a little bit better tonight.

* * *

_A filler. Things will pick back up again in the next one. Thanks for the reviews, everyone!_

_~C.M._


	26. Chapter 26

**Twenty-Six**

I walked around the city a bit longer before retreating to Tyson's place. Paparazzi jumped out of nowhere and I was close to attacking them. Back in China I didn't have to deal with paparazzi but, lo and behold, my name is suddenly shoved into the spotlight and now I can't be left alone. This is the first time I'm admitting it out loud how I wish I was in China right now. In China people left me alone (for the most part) and now I was afraid I wouldn't be able to get a carton of juice without the press being shoved in my face because of this upcoming match.

I made it back to Tyson's place in time for another one of Tyson's and Daichi's daily fighting matches. From what I gathered, this time it had something to do with eating Tyson's last Fudgesicle.

"Have they been fed at all?" I asked Max while watching Tyson chase Daichi around the koi pond.

"Not yet," Max replied. "Ray was supposed to start dinner as soon as we got back. He's making this…dumpling thing—"

"Charsiu bau with lo mein and dumplings," I interrupted him. I shrugged when Max gave me a look. "He always made it when he felt people were getting stressed out.

"Sounds good. Anyway, he went to the store so he should be back soon. I tried to tell them that but you know how they get when they're hungry."

"Yeah." I moved past him and walked into the dojo. I was sure that Max would challenge one of 'em to a battle to get their minds off of the fact that they don't have food. I was surprised Hilary wasn't out there yelling at the two of them as well. "Oh, hey, I didn't know you were still here," I greeted Mariah as I walked into the kitchen.

"Tyson and Daichi are so fired up, I figured making tea would calm them down a little bit while they wait for Ray," Mariah said with a little laugh. A high pitched squeal, one that could only come front a teapot, sounded just then. She turned to the stove and picked the pot up by the wooden handle. "Would you like some?"

"That'd be great, thanks," I said while sitting down at the low table. I watched as she lined up small cups on the kitchen counter and pour the steaming brown liquid into it. My eyes zeroed in on the teapot in her hands. It felt familiar to me. But it couldn't be the same one I was thinking of. Could it? "Hey, 'Riah, where'd that teapot come from?" I asked slowly. It couldn't be the same one. But Tyson's family usually used black teapots.

Mariah turned towards me while smiling. Well, beaming actually. "This? Oh, it came in the mail today. I don't know who it was from but it was addressed to you. Can you believe it's the same teapot? And it's in such good shape. Who knows where it came from?"

"That's…?" I couldn't even finish my sentence. I knew, deep down that it belonged to my mother but I couldn't get the words to come up.

"Yeah!" Mariah said excitedly. "It's your mother's teapot. I hope you don't mind me using it. I figured you'd want to use it right away."

"I, uh…may I see it?" I asked, holding out my hands.

"Okay, but it's a little hot."

She carefully held out the teapot and I took it by its wooden handle. I turned my wrist so the teapot spun and I looked at it on all sides. It was pure white with light blue flowers all over it. Aside from a few little chips and cracks on the lid it was still in good condition. As I looked it over I could practically hear my mom's humming as she fixed tea for Dad and I in the morning, like she used to always do before I was carted off to be homeschooled with the others…

"Crys? Are you okay?" Mariah's voice sounded so far away. I blinked when she waved a gloved hand in front of my face. I nodded and took the teapot into my hands. A surge of anger swelled inside of me and the next thing I knew the teapot was smashed onto the ground, the tea seeping over the wooden floorboards. My chest heaved as if there was hardly any oxygen in the room. I vaguely heard Mariah gasp. "Crys, why did you do that?"

"What's going on?" Tyson asked as he and the others rushed into the room.

"Yeah, we heard a loud smash," Kenny said as he stuck his head in. "Are you two alright?"

I could feel Mariah's eyes on me as the boys scanned the room. "I need some air," I mumbled and shoved past them. I let my feet take me wherever they wanted to go. I just had to get out. I couldn't stand looking at them right now.

"Whoa! Crys, where's the fire?" Ray asked with a laugh while I made my way out of the dojo. His smile then dropped when he saw my face. "Are…are you crying?"

"_No!_ Leave me alone!" I yelled at him and took off, running down the street. I sprinted down the street, running as hard as I could until my legs gave way and I stumbled. I doubled over, my hands on my knees and panted heavily. "Stupid….stupid Mariah," I panted.

"She's not who you should blame."

"What the hell is with you Bladebreakers sneaking up on me?" I demanded, whirling around to glare at Tyson. "Ray, I can understand 'cause he has freaky hearing think and he walks like elves do on snow. Kai, I kinda understand that 'cause he has that freaky Kai thing going on, but you. How the _hell_ did _you_ sneak up on me?"

Tyson ignored me. "You're mad that she used your teapot without asking. You're mad that it was your mother's teapot. You're mad that it was sent to you here, especially before your match. You're mad at those things but you're madder at the fact that your parents aren't here," Tyson told me.

I blinked. "When'd you start sounding so…old?" I asked. He sounded like Grandpa Granger, which was so odd. Tyson wasn't the philosophical type. "And how do you know what I'm feeling. You still have your dad."

"True," Tyson replied. "But I lost my best friend when my mom died," he said. "I didn't know her that much but it still hurt, especially as I grew up and I realized she wasn't coming back." He let out a little chuckle and looked at the glass-like surface of the river which was now an orange color from the setting sun. "I actually used to ask Hiro and my dad if I could go and visit her. I didn't understand what heaven was at the time and it would always make them sad so I stopped asking after a while. I didn't want to upset them anymore." He sighed and took off his hat, running his fingers through his hair. "Hiro introduced me to beyblading to help take my mind off of it. Now, I blade to make her proud. I don't care about the fame or the prizes or anything." I scoffed. "Okay, maybe a little," he said with a little laugh. "But more importantly I want you to know that it's okay to grieve and to take time and cry about them. I get the feeling you've never had a chance to do that."

"That's kind of hard to do once you've been banished and you're spending your time trying to find a place to eat and to sleep for the night," I snapped.

"I'm not the enemy," Tyson said quietly. "Do me a favor. Close your eyes." I lifted my eyebrows. "Just do it." I let out a breath and closed my eyes. "Breathe deeply and relax." I took in a deep breath and let it out very slowly. "Now, I want you to think about your parents. What they look like. How they talked. What they smelled like. Everything about them."

I squeezed my eyes tight. A picture of them appeared in front of my eyes, it looked so real. Mom with her dark blue hair pulled back into two braids, her green cat-like eyes shining. Dad with his child-like smirk and his jet black hair which stood in stark contrast against his bright blue eyes. They always called me their _xiamao, _their kitten. I always seemed to stress dad out by getting in trouble and going against his wishes. I made him so mad once he hit me. I didn't do it again and he managed his anger, all for me. I know he loved me, despite being short with me. He changed for me. And mom, she took time out of her life for me, to get me anything I wanted, even in those rare occasions we weren't well off. They loved me and, after all this time, I could still feel it.

But I've been pushing them away this entire time.

I flinched and opened my eyes when I felt something brushed my cheeks.

Tyson's fingers.

"You feel better?" He asked, brushing away the rest of my tears and smiling.

I grunted. "Kai doesn't know what he's talking about when he says you're immature."

Tyson cracked a grin. "Kai doesn't know everything about me," he said, swinging an arm around my shoulders. "Now, let's get back to the dojo and see what Ray is whipping up. I think I can smell it from here."


	27. Chapter 27

**Twenty-Seven**

"_Attention: the next match between BEGA and the G Revolutions is slated to start in ten minutes!" _A woman's voice drifted out of the speakers of the BEGA building and around the immediate area.

I looked up from where Dricen was battling against Dragoon while Driger, Draciel, and Strata Dragoon. They were spinning around the dish, attacking each other now and then while Hopper bounced around the dish. I looked across the dish and into Tyson's eyes to see what his reaction would be to the announcement.

The expression in his face didn't change. He had his eye on the prize and this prize was saving the whole sport of beyblading. I let out a little sigh and held my hand over the dish. When I felt the weight of Dricen in my palm I closed my hand over my small blade. I could feel everyone's eyes on me as I nervously tugged at my ponytail. This was it.

_"I ask you now to return to your seats to get ready for the upcoming match. Again, I ask you all to return to your seats to get ready for the upcoming match. That is all."_

"Are you ready?"

I nodded while pulling on the ends of my hair to tighten the grip the red scrunchie in my hair had on my ponytail. "As ready as I'll ever be, I suppose," I replied, turning around to face Max who was looking at me. "But no pressure," I added with a roll of my eyes and he chuckled.

"You'll do great," Hilary told me with a bright smile. "We all have faith in you."

I lifted a finger. "Ah, there's the pressure," I said with a little laugh. Then I let out a breath and rolled my shoulders. This was about as relaxed as I was going to get. "Okay, let's go."

"Are you sure you don't want to practice anymore?" Kenny asked.

"Chief, I'm not going to get any better than I already am if I add ten more minutes of practice," I replied with a little laugh and tugged on my bangs. "It won't make much of a difference. I'd rather just take the time to…I don't know, relax a little bit. As much as I can at least. So let's just go inside."

The rest of them agreed—Tyson, a bit halfheartedly—and we walked into the building. My chest tightened a bit as soon as we got inside and back into our training room and turned on the TV to see the little kids battling each other in the big dish while they waited for the next match. It was to give them a feel for what it would be like to battle in tournaments once they got older. They kind of reminded me of me when I was younger. Never did I ever expect to blade in a building as big as this, let alone a tournament. That was never my plan, to be a part of this. I just wanted to go around and learn everything I knew and avoid the tournament circuit as much as I could. But, of course, Boris got in the way and changed everything.

I smiled a bit while one little boy celebrated his win over his opponent. The match was very amateurish but they had some promise for the future. A few more kids battled it out before DJ Jazzman announced that the next match in the tournament was about to be underway and the shot panned over to the BEGA team. Garland was already up and ready to fight. I smirked a bit. He was so sure he was going against Tyson; we'd have a slight edge.

I just hoped it'd be enough.

"Come on," Tyson said with a bit of a sigh as he stood. We followed him out of the room and down the halls towards the floor area of the stadium. I gripped Dricen tight in my pocket and could almost feel his energy flowing through my fingertips. I could do this. As long as I had him with me, we'll be fine.

"_It's time!_" DJ Jazzman yelled to the hyped up crowd. The sound was almost deafening to my sensitive ears. "Will Garland be able to finish off this tournament and bring the ultimate victory to the BEGA league?" A surge of applause lifted as Garland stepped up to the dish, a confident smile on his face. I was itching to knock it right off his lips. "Will Tyson be able to show him what a true champion is made of?"

"Heh, not this time, Jazzman," Tyson laughed. "There's been a little change in plans."

"What are you talking about?" Garland demanded. From where he was standing I could see the annoyance in his eyes. "Get up here so I can defeat you and bring honor to the Seibald family name."

"He's a little on the cocky side, don't you think?" Hilary asked dryly.

"Let him be cocky," I replied. "Easier for him to make a mistake."

"Now don't _you_ get too cocky," Ray warned me.

"Who? _Me_? Neverrr," I said with a wave of my hand.

"Come on and fight me, Tyson," Garland ordered.

"I'm not battling you," Tyson replied with a wide smile. "_She_ is," he added and pointed in my direction. I tensed a bit under Garland's gaze as he swung his eyes over to me and then back to Tyson. I could tell by the look on his face that he wasn't amused or ready for what Tyson was going to say.

"Quit joking."

"I'm not." Tyson crossed his arms over his chest and smiled smugly. "She's going to battle you next." Then he looked at me. "I know you can do it."

I smiled. "I know I can too, Ty," I told him and let out a deep breath. "I have to. Not only for you guys and blading as a whole…but for Kai and Tala and for my parents too."

"You'll do great," Hilary said while giving me a small hug. "Just keep your eye on the prize."

I nodded. "Thanks everyone," I said. I took another deep and turned to walk up the flight of stairs that took me to the playing area. Garland watched my every move, much like a lion waiting to take down his pray. I gulped and flexed my fingers a little bit while looking at him. This guy was _big_. Much taller than me and he had a lot of muscle to boot. If he was strong just from looking at him his blade would be strong as well.

Garland scoffed. "You shouldn't be here, little girl," he told me. "This is a battle that isn't meant for you. You might as well take your walk back down those stairs and bring Tyson up here."

I shook my head. "I have just as every right to be here as Tyson does. What you and the rest of BEGA are doing is wrong. Beyblading isn't a sport, it's a lifestyle. It's people's _lives_ and now that you all are trying to take that away from the little kids…I can't let you do that. I won't back down and I won't get Tyson up here. This is _my_ fight and you're going to either blade me or forfeit because I'm not going _anywhere._"

He gave a little laugh. "Whatever, you're going to regret not taking the chance to get out of here."

I ignored his statement while loading Dricen onto my launcher. I turned my attention to the revealed beydish which reminded me of Tyson's dojo. The Combat Temple Stadium it was called. It didn't look like there were any hidden bells and whistles to it. So it was going to be a straight up fight with strength and brains put to the test. I looked across the dish to see Garland getting ready for the fight. My eyebrows crinkled together at the sight of him using what looked like a nunchuck for a launcher. That was bound to give him a bit of advantage when it came to the force behind his launch.

As DJ Jazzman counted down to the start of our battle I took a deep breath and put my mind at ease, focusing it solely on the match. The audience collectively let out a loud "_Let it rip!_" and I tugged on my ripcord as hard as I could. Our blades smashed against each other in mid air before landing in the dish.

"Dricen, hit him hard!" I ordered.

I watched closely while my metallic blue blade started smashing into Garland's bright yellow one. I wanted Garland to see what kind of power I had without giving too much away. He needed to know that I wasn't just a girl he was blading with, I was a force to be reckoned with. I wasn't only a White Tiger, I was a great blader. I've learned loads from travelling around the world. That banishment, it was the best thing that's ever happened to me. And now was my chance to prove it.

"Keep going!" I called. Then I looked up at Garland and almost faultered. He wasn't even paying attention. He had his arms crossed and his eyes were closed. _What's he doing? He's not even trying. He's just…standing there. He's making a mockery of my power and of Dricen._ I let out a gasp when his blade hit Dricen back with a blow, as if he were a but that was swatted away by a hand.

"Siebald Family Principle # 1: Know your opponent as you know yourself," he told me.

I scoffed. "Hmm, so you're a girl? With that hair, it's not hard to make that mistake," I joked with a roll of my eyes.

He didn't even crack a smile. "You had your warm-up. Now, for Principle # 8: The opponent with the most powerful first strike wins the game!"

_Oh man_. "Dricen…Dricen, run!" I yelled out to my beast but he didn't stand a chance. Garland's blade smashed into Dricen and continued to hit him, blow after blow. Dricen didn't have a chance to go anywhere. "Dricen, hang in there!" With another hit, Apollon smashed into Dricen and he flew back in my direction. Dricen managed to get a grip on the bottom of the platform I was standing on and shot himself back at Apollon after flipping over and correcting himself. "Way to go!"

_Does he _ever _stop talking_? I mentally groaned when he started preaching about his family rules again. You'd think he'd blade more than he spoke. I shook my head when he turned his back to the dish. That conceited little _blech_!

"Apollon, climb!"

"You're not going to get away from me that easily! Dricen, jump! Don't let him out of your sights!"

I stayed still while letting my eyes watch the blades move. It just didn't make any sense. These Family Principles…what were those about? Didn't he know how to blade by himself or is he some sort of machine? I could feel my blood racing. He made me so angry, not even putting his heart and soul into beyblading.

Garland was tough. I could practically hear Dricen roaring in pain whenever he was attacked by Appollon. He didn't have any chance to escape at all. We were in way over our head but I knew Dricen wouldn't give up or let me down so I ordered him to fight back and gave it all he had. Appollon, admittedly, was strong. Far stronger than I expected, and I expected a lot. I could hold my own with Tyson, I've only scraped by with a win twice but this guy…he was _tough_. I could feel sweat rolling down the back of my neck while my mind raced to find a way out of this predicament. Dricen was beining to lose spin and I hadn't even used any of his attacks yet.

This was bad.

"Crys, you can't give up!" Hilary yelled at my back.

"As if that's even an option at this point!" I shot back without turning around, clenching my hands. There wasn't much I could do and that was a bitter pill to swallow. Dricen was backed up against the wall with no way to escape. Appollon wouldn't give him space or let up on his attacks.

"Can you feel it, Crystal?" Garland taunted. "That's the history of my lineage. The power of the Family Principles. You don't stand a chance!" He smirked as Appollon backed off. "Family Principle # 79: Swift end to honored opponents." He smirked. "You should be proud, Crystal. To be a part of the Siebald family tradition. It's _over_."

Appollon charged at Dricen, faster than I've ever seen before and it had a sort of glow around him that I knew it was packing a lot of power. "Dricen, hold your ground," I told him. I could hear my teammates protests but this was what I had to do. Something was off with him. He wasn't battling with his heart and for the sake of the game, he was battling with rules and preconceived ideas of war. That wasn't what beyblading was about.

And that pissed me off.

"Good job," I whispered when Dricen managed to dig his claws into the ground and keep Appollon from moving by ducking his head and using it to stop the other bitbeast. "Garland," I called across the beydish. "Why do you beyblade?"

"To win, of course," he replied with a scoff, taking his eyes away from the battle.

I'm sure he thought the battle was over soon. It had to be the only reason he finally took his concentration away. My chest was heaving and I could feel my energy levels going down but I had to win. I just had to. There was no room for errors but first I needed to get a _hit_ on him… "Is that the best answer you can come up with?" I demanded, crossing my arms over my chest. _If I could distract him long enough…_

"What?" He hissed. Then he let out a breath. "And _you_? What is your reason for beyblading?" He smirked. "Do you only blade for the attention?"

"No," I replied coolly. "I blade because I love it," I replied. "Ever since I was little I loved it. Everything about it is great. The awesome speed and mechanics behind the blade. The challenge from opponents as well as my friends to do my best and be better. The bond between you and your beyblade. The bond between you and your bitbeast, as if you share one brain, one heart, one _soul_…nothing can compare to that feeling." I squeezed my eyes shut and then opened them. "I love it so much and I won't stand by and let you, your team, and Boris take that from me. I won't give it up without a fight."

"Heh," Garland scoffed. "You fool! You'd risk it all for a handful of meaningless ideals? When you beyblade or play any other sport what is the point if you do not win? Tell me?"

"I pity you," I sighed. "You and the rest of your oh-so-high-and-mighty family. If you think winning is what it's all about, I feel sorry for you all." I lifted an eyebrow when I saw that I struck a nerve. Without even having to say anything Dricen managed to push Appollon back to give him enough space to spin around. It was as if we were on the same wavelength now. "Winning isn't what it's about. It's the challenges, the growth, the heart of it all. The love and joy that the sport brings you, winning…it's a good feeling but it's a shallow temporary one that goes away. But…most of all…the big point…is fun. That's the point. I actually looked forward to battling you and I wished things would've worked out so it could have happened."

"You speak nonsense!" He growled. "We're beybattling right now."

"No," I said firmly. "I'm not battling you. I'm battling your family's principles. You haven't made a single move in this battle without justifying it with the Siebald principals."

Dricen let out a mighty roar and came out of my blade in a bright flash of light. His jaws gnashed while he arched his back and his hair stood up on end. Blood pumped in my ears and I suddenly felt strong, stronger than I've ever felt before. Dricen flexed his claws while crouching down, waiting to strike. I could feel his energy coursing through my veins. He was as pumped as I was, so pumped that nothing around me mattered anymore. Not Tyson, Kai, Tala, or even Boris. None of that mattered but getting Garland to realize how stupid he was being and to take this match into my own hands.

I could see a new fire in Garland's eyes and I had to say I was excited to see where this battle was going to go now. "Dricen, _give it all you've got! Frozen Tundra!" _

_Give it all you've got, Garland. I want to show Boris and my parents and everyone else that I'm not just a small girl with a flash beyblade, that I can do this and I can stand on my own. And…especially…that I'm not afraid anymore…_

Dricen slammed down on Apollon, a griffin, from above and bit down on one of his wings. Appollon let out a screech and tried to shake Dricen off but he held on tight. The bitbeasts fought hard with bites, scratches, stabbings from talons and claws, using the specific elements (wind and ice) to their advantages every now and then. Dricen was holding on strong, though, and I was really proud of him. I thought we would've been knocked out ages ago but he was still trucking. He must want this as badly as I do.

"Had enough?" Garland panted.

"No…" I replied, wiping sweat off of my forehead with the back of my hand. "Keep it coming."

"Are you crazy?" Ray yelled. "You're on the brink of exhaustion, Crystal. You have to pull back!"

"Ray, the entire sport is at stake!" I reminded him. "I won't fail. I…we won't lose because of me." I fell to my knee, using a hand to keep me up. I was so tired. It was hard for me to catch my breath and everything began to tilt. I just wanted to sleep. But I couldn't give up. I just couldn't. Dricen, the others…they're counting on me. "I…I won't allow it."

"Yeah but—" The worry in his voice made a small smile come to my face and my heart jump a bit.

"Ray, let her do this," Kenny told him. "She's our only hope. She's all we have left."

"She can do it," Tyson said. "I know she can."

"Remember, you asked for it," Garland told me, causing me to try and lift my head. I could only rest it on my knee, I was so tired. "So brace yourself. _Here I come! Radiant Thunder_!"

"Dricen, _Arctic Strike_!"

Pressing most of my weight onto my knee, I managed to get back into a standing position. I swayed a bit while I watched Dricen. As Dricen ran forward what looked like a mini tornado surrounded him and ice shards formed as the water droplets in the mini tornado chilled. The ice spun around Dricen and seemed to mix in the with the electricity that came from Appollon.

A bright light emitted from the two bit beasts that hit each other, head to head, giving it all they've got. Shockwaves from the two bitbeasts moved through the stadium and, with each one, seemed to shake me to my core. I fell down to my knees and grasped at my chest while drawing in deep breaths to get some air. The light faded and everything fell silent.

Until…

"_And that's the match_!" DJ Jazzman yelled into his microphone over the sound of the roaring applause. "Crystal won the final game for G Revolution!"

"I…I won," I whispered as Dricen slowly stopped spinning and tilted to one side. "I _won_!" Despite how tired I was I laughed gleefully and punched my fists into the air. _My first ever tournament battle and I win! Mom, Dad, are you proud of me?_

"G Revolutions and BEGA are locked in a draw! What will happen next? Tune-in tomorrow for the tie-breaker showdown!"

I let out a breath and jumped down into the large dish and picked up Dricen, smiling at the cool metal pressing against my palm. I looked up when a shadow fell over me and tilted my head back to look at Garland properly.

"You did well," he said while holding out his hand. "I have to admit, I didn't expect much from you but you were a formidable opponent and I'm honored to have battled you. Maybe we could do it again sometime."

I smiled and grasped his hand. "Sure, that'd be great," I said with a nod. I gave him a little wave and turned to get out of the dish. I jumped up and landed on top of the "roof" part of the dish and walked over to the stairs, taking my time to go down them while the team ran up to me.

"See? I told you you could do it!" Tyson boasted while slapping my shoulder.

"You don't have to kill me to prove that you're right," I groaned while rubbing my shoulder. "But thank you. I just had to rely on Dricen, I know he could help me out and do his best."

"Don't be so modest, you were a part of that win as well," Max said with a kind smile followed by a hug. "You didn't give up even when the odds were stacked against you and kept us in the tournament."

"We're all very proud of you," Ray added, also giving me a hug.

"Thanks guys, but can we please go?" I asked and then paused to let out a big yawn. "I'm beat I feel like I can sleep for a week."

"You better wake up in time to see me take down BEGA in the last round," Tyson said as he swung his arm around my shoulders and used the other one to poke me in the cheek.

"Wouldn't miss it for the world, Ty. I don't want you talking my ear off about every single minute detail that further explains your self-proclaimed awesomeness," I replied with a bit of sarcasm and a smirk.

* * *

I squeezed my eyes tight to try and keep myself in a state of being asleep but it was hard when I could hear what I guess was supposed to be hushed whispering. I relaxed my eyelids and sighed before opening them all of the way and turning to look out the window. It was pitch black out there. How long had I been asleep?

I sat up and stretched, taking the time to arch my back and stick my arms into the air. I yawned while rubbing at my eyes and then squinted through the dark room to look at the clock. It was eight o'clock at night. I slept almost the entire ay away. The match had ended earlier that morning, no wonder I felt so hungry.

I pushed back my covers and swung my legs over the side of the bed. Groaning at the ache in my arms and legs I finally got to my feet and shuffled out of the room. I paused to go to the bathroom, the distinctive ache in my abdomen was signaling that the next couple of days would be hell for me. I knelt by the cabinet under the sink and frowned when the box of girl products that I had put under there disappeared.

"Tyson," I called while walking through the dojo looking for him. This was the fourth time since I've been here that he's moved my stuff. I don't know what it is about seeing my pads and tampons that he can't deal with it. Not that I really expected him to. "_Tyson_!"

"Whoa, you sound like Hilary," Ray said with a little laugh.

I paused where I was and looked into one of the vast training rooms in the dojo. Ray and Lee were sitting in what I guess was supposed to be a meditation position. Ray was sitting in that way at least. Lee looked as if he was trying to stick his foot behind his head.

"Don't know if that's a good or bad thing," I pointed out. Ray smirked and I flipped him off. "Lee, stop that, you're going to pull something," I told him.

"No, I can do it," Lee groaned, sticking his leg further back. "Just…a little more…"

"What kind of form of mediation is that?" I asked and then placed my hands on my hips. "As your fiancée I say you should stop before you hurt yourself!"

Lee's leg dropped to the ground and he gave me a peculiar look. "You…you know?"

"I told her," Ray explained. He shrugged at the look on Lee's face. "She has the right to know. It's her life too."

"Have any of you guys seen Tyson?" I asked, changing the subject. It was still too strange for me to talk about being engaged and stuff. I still didn't fully believe it and I was waiting for Ray to say it was all a joke or something. It didn't happen yet but I was still waiting for it.

"Not after we saw Tala," Lee replied, rubbing his sore leg.

I smirked. _Serves him…wait, what?_ "You guys say Tala without me?" I demanded. Lee flinched under my tone but Ray held his gaze. He seemed to be the only one that wasn't afraid of me. "Why didn't you wake me? Did you see Kai too?"

"You needed your rest," Ray replied. "That battle took a lot out of you. You can see Tala later. Right now what's important is you getting your strength back."

"Yes _Dad_," I huffed.

"Why're you looking for Tyson?" Lee asked, changing the subject.

"He moved my tampons again–oh get over it, Lee! You have a sister for crying out loud!" I scoffed when he flinched at the word 'tampon'. Boys are all the same. "How're you going to deal if you ever get a wife or a daughter?"

"Ship 'em off to an island for a week every month. Then I don't have to deal with their mood swings and I have some guy time," Lee replied with the sort of grin that made me want to punch him in the face.

"Your face will have some quality 'guy time' with your foot in a second," I growled, moving towards him.

"Tyson might be with Max and Kenny in the den," Ray quickly jumped in. Lee was lucky he was in the way or else his blood would be shed all over the floor. "Oh yeah," he said while snapping. "Hilary called. She wants to know if you'd want to sleep over at her place with the other girls."

"Because being stuck in a house with Mariah all night talking about you is my idea of fun," I said while clasping my hands together and smiling innocently. "See you guys later. And Lee, don't try that again! If I find out you get stuck I'll make it my business to unstuck you and it won't be pretty," I warned him and then went to the den in search for Tyson again.

I frowned when I saw that Max, Kenny, Rick, and Daichi were the only ones in the room. I then growled under my breath causing them to turn around. "Well, good morning to you too, sunshine," Rick said sarcastically.

"How'd you sleep?" Max asked while smiling. I swear that boy never stops smiling. It was kind of strange but endearing at the same time.

"Slept like a rock," I replied, running my fingers through my hair. "Best sleep I've had in ages, I'd guess. Have you guys seen Tyson?"

"What'd he do to you now?" Kenny asked without looking up from his laptop. "By the way you were screaming I'd think he tried his shaving cream trick on you again. I can't fathom how you fell for it the first time."

"If Tyson tried that trick on me again I'd make him eat the shaving cream," I clarified.

"It wouldn't be the first time Tyson ate it," Daichi quipped.

"Why're you looking for Tyson?" Max asked.

"He moved my—"

My words were cut off by the loud sound of a wall breaking. In an instant the boys jumped to their feet and rushed out of the room. I followed as fast as I could but I was still a little woozy from my battle with Garland. By the time I made t outside I noticed that Grandpa Granger was through the floor and Ming-Ming and Crusher were taunting Tyson to get him to blade.

"Are you okay, Grandpa?" I asked as I grasped his upper arms and tried to pull him out of the hole. The guy was heavier than I thought. Must've been from the muscle from the kendo training. Or I was still weak from that battle.

"I'm all right, dudette. You should worry about the dawgs over there," he replied as he struggled to get himself out of the hole.

I bit my lip and looked to see that Rick and Lee had interfered in Ming-Ming's and Crusher's attacks against Tyson. Sighing, I shook my head. When will those boys ever learn? "Lee, pull back! This isn't your fight!" I ordered. "You too, Rick!"

"Don't worry about me," Lee told me through clenched teeth. "It's Tyson and the BBA we gotta protect. I won't let them do to him what they did to you and Tala and Kai."

My lip twitched slightly at his mentioning of protecting me. It felt odd, a little out of place. Before he didn't even bat an eyelash if I stubbed my toe but now he was preaching about making sure I didn't get hurt? It felt fishy to me.

"Don't be bull headed!" I finally snapped, taking myself out of my thoughts. "Ming-Ming and Crusher were handpicked by Boris for a reason! Back down, Lee. Don't be rash!"

"Hey, come on, knock it off you guys!" Max called over the wind that was coming from the four attacking blades. "This battle's a total waste of time."

"Max is right. We're on the same side. We're bladders and to destroy each other like this isn't good for anyone. Except for Boris who wants to tear us apart!"

I threw my arms into the air. "Oh yeah, just ignore the girl over here who constantly speaks common sense."

Our words were ignored as they continued to block Tyson from being hurt. I felt torn. Part of me wanted to help them protect Tyson but the other part of me knew that this was his fight and that I had to rely on him and that he knew what he was doing. Crusher and Ming-Ming sounded torn over what Boris would do to them if they didn't finish with their jobs as planned and I couldn't help but feel for the little girl. How she got pulled into this mess was beyond me but I knew if she stayed in any longer she'd live to regret it. But she was scared and rightfully so.

Fear had a strong control over you, much stronger than any other emotion.

"Do you want me to say I told you so or…?" I asked as Ray and I helped Lee to his feet after being knocked off of his feet by one of Crusher's attacks. Crusher had managed to stop him from hurting Tyson and him and Ming-Ming seemed to realize what Boris was doing. Garland and Mystel showed up as well and warned us about Brooklyn and how he was being trained by Hiro to harness all of his powers to get more power in the upcoming match.

"Oh shut up," Lee shot back as he got to his feet. "I knew what I was doing."

"You should trust Tyson, that's what you should've been doing."

"Well excuse _me_ for trying to help my friend, Miss-Always-Right!"

"Knock it off you two," Ray said coming in between us. I stuck my tongue out at Lee from underneath Ray's arm and then turned away from him. How I was engaged to that reckless idiot was beyond me. I needed to have a serious talk with Elder. "We shouldn't be fighting each other, we should be focusing our attention on BEGA and how we're going to beat _them_."

I rolled my eyes. Ray always _has_ to be the one to continually look at the big picture. Suddenly I was over being around the boys and them being overprotective and, well, annoying. "I'm going to take Hilary up on that offer. I'm spending the night at her place."

"Wait? What?" Tyson asked, suddenly sounding really alarmed. "But…you won't be around to make me my good luck walnut pancakes in the morning!" He whined, kicking his foot at the ground. I laughed at his sudden switch of tone. It was amazing that only a minute ago he had a serious expression on his face while thinking about his tie-breaking BEGA match.

"Take an egg, milk, some bisquick, and nuts and there you have it. It's not that hard," I told him as I went back into the dojo to gather up my things. "'Sides, with this last battle…you boys are going to be moody all night and if you're not moody you're going to be loud and I need sleep."

Tyson scoffed as he followed me. "Girls don't sleep at sleepovers. They stay up all night talking about hair and clothes and boys."

"Goes to show how much you don't know about girls, Ty," I pointed out while shoving things into my bag. But I paused and slowed down while my thoughts began to wander and it dawned on me. What did I know about sleepovers anyway? I never stuck around in one place long enough to get to know someone enough to sleepover at someone's house. Now that I think about it, I didn't know much about a lot of normal teenage things because of my banishment. I always thought it was good, that I didn't have to deal with their strict rules, but now that I see it in a different light…how much of my life did I miss? "If you want pancakes so badly I'll come back early enough to make them for you, okay?"

"Have I ever told you how much I love you?" Tyson asked with an enormous grin.

"Not enough, Ty, not enough."

* * *

I almost jumped out of my skin as soon as I walked through the door of the Tatibana house and I was showered with glitter and confetti as well as noisemakers going off in my ears. My nerves were on edge as it hit me that it was a sort of surprise party for my BEGA win thrown by the other girls. Mathilda happily led me into the kitchen were a chocolate cake was sitting with _Congratulations Crystal!_ written on it in blue icing.

"Guys…this is too much," I muttered, but it obviously fell on deaf ears.

"Nonsense! You won and, not only that, you proved that we girls are as strong bladers as boys are," Julia said as she elbowed me in the ribs. "No one else could've done it better!"

"Guys…"

"Make a wish and blow out the candles," Emily said while holding a stack of plates in her hands.

"But there's no rush. You don't have to worry about Tyson coming in here and eating the whole thing," Hilary added with a gleeful laugh.

I gave up and moved to blow out the candles that sat on top of the cake. The flames danced and bend, instantly grabbing my attention. The reds and oranges mixed together while flickering. The colors were hypnotizing. I couldn't tear my eyes away. It just felt too familiar… I could hear faint screams in the back of my head. I swallowed thickly and tried to think of something else to make the noises go away but it only got louder and louder. Screams and cries, yells of pain and wails of despair. It just kept getting louder and louder. The smell of smoke got stronger and it made my stomach turn with every intake of breath.

_Make it stop, please!_

"Crys." I flinched when I felt a hand on my arm. I looked over and peered into the anxious golden eyes of Mariah who had stepped up next to me. "Are you okay?" She asked; worry mixing in with her words.

I nodded, "Yeah. I was just, uh, thinking of a wish," I replied with a slight lift of my upper lip. I closed my eyes, wished and blew out the candles in one short breath. I opened my eyes to watch as the gray smoke twist and turned like ribbons in the air before disappearing.

"That was some wish," Julia commented with a smirk. "What'd you wish for, a private jet?"

"No, I wished for something a bit more practical. Like a mansion with pink ponies and butlers to carry me down the stairs," I replied sarcastically, lightly shoving her. "But you girls missed something big that went down at Tyson's place," I said while snapping my fingers, suddenly remembering to tell them. "Crusher and Ming-Ming showed up at Tyson's."

"What did the brat want? To serenade him?" Hilary asked darkly while looking at her fingernails. I exchanged a look with Julia but decided to bite my tongue. I _was_ a guest in her house and I didn't want to be kicked out.

"No, they were trying to spy on Tyson and the others. Boris's idea, of course," I replied.

"What happened? Are they alright?" Mathilda asked while clasping her hands together, her voice a bit more higher pitched than usual.

"They're fine. Well, except for Rick's and Lee's egos," I replied. "Crusher and Ming-Ming finally realized what Boris was doing and stopped their attack before they really hurt anyone, thank goodness. Mystel and Garland showed up as well."

"I'm surprised they didn't try to take you all out right then and there," Julia scoffed. "They had the perfect opportunity."

"It's not Boris's style," I replied as Mrs. Tatibana began cutting pieces of cake and putting it on plates and handed them out to us. "He'd rather win in the eyes of many based on power and skill than to use tricks behind the scenes," I explained somewhat bitterly.

"Hey," Mariah said while putting a hand on my shoulder. "Don't you worry about him, okay? Tyson will win tomorrow's match and Boris will be gone for good." She gave me what was supposed to be a reassuring smile but it didn't do much to lift my spirits. She was trying hard and I really appreciated it but…it just wasn't something that she, or any one of them for that matter, would ever understand.

"So…what do we do at these sleepovers?" I asked. I instantly regretted it when I saw the excited looks on the other girls' faces. "Oh no," I groaned at the peculiar look on Mariah's face.

"I didn't even say anything," she defended herself.

"Yeah, but I've seen that look too many times to learn to be worried about it," I explained begrudgingly.

"Oh, lighten up. We're going to have fun tonight, you'll see."

But of course their idea of fun was different than mine. A good part of the night was spent with them testing different makeup techniques on me as their guinea pig. When I asked why they didn't use each other they claimed it was because I had no experience doing anything girly and they needed to catch me up on such rituals. I went along with that. I went along with Hilary giving me some of her old clothes to wear. I even went along with manicures and spa treatments, but I was bored and felt a little out of place.

I sighed. Why was it so easy for them to do these sort of normal things but it felt like I had to put every bit of energy I had into it? Why couldn't I just be normal like the rest of them? But I already knew the answer to that, with how my life went I couldn't be even close to "normal" like I wanted, like I wished and longed for. How normal could one be when they were engaged at fifteen?

"So what do you guys think of Daichi?" Julia asked. Her head was tilted to the side and she was braiding her long brown hair. Somehow—though not surprisingly—our conversation switched to the boys. A topic that was received really well judging by how much the others could go on and on about some of them.

"The kid is loud and annoying," I replied, reaching forward to swipe another cookie off of the plate that Mrs. Tatibana had brought up a few hours earlier. "And disrespectful sometimes. He's kind of like a mini Tyson, only worse 'cause Tyson has matured over the past couple of months."

"Daichi's downright rude," Hilary huffed as Mathilda pt pink nailpolish on her toenails. "Grandma my butt! I'll show _him_ grandma…" she grumbled as Mathilda giggled.

"Oh, Hil. He's just a kid. He doesn't know any better," Mathilda reminded her.

"That shouldn't matter. He should have some sort of discipline. He won't go far in life if he keeps acting like _that_," Emily said as she held up her finger. "He doesn't have anyone to really teach him right from wrong. It's a classic case of trial and error. Sooner or later he'll figure out that his behavior is unacceptable and he'll change…I hope."

"I thought the same about Tyson at first. Admittedly, he _has_ matured a bit more," Hilary noted. "I think it's this whole BEGA thing, it's putting everything in perspective for him. That it's not all about him anymore."

"I think…I think that's why Hiro switched sides," I said quietly.

"What? What do you mean?" Mariah asked.

"Well, think about it. Tyson knows he's a good beyblader. He gets a big head about it and he brags about it anytime he gets the chance. He jumps at the opportunity to blade someone new to beat them," I explained while tugging at a loose thread on the hem of my pajama pants. "Hiro knows this. Hiro thinks that Tyson's amazing. Hell, I think so too, but he also needs to be knocked down a peg. That's what Hiro's doing by coaching the BEGA team. He's trying to find a blader that could put Tyson in his place and realize that there will always be someone out there that's better than him." I shrugged. "Well, that's what I think anyway."

"That…strangely, that makes a lot of sense," Emily reasoned, rubbing her chin.

"God knows he needs to let the air out of his head," Hilary commented dryly.

"Wow, Hil, you're full of snark today," I pointed out, leaning forward to rest my elbows on my knees. "You know, for someone who claims to dislike someone else you sure do talk about Tyson _a lot_."

Hilary spluttered in outrage as the other girls let out 'oooh's and whistled. "I…I, er, no! That's just…no! I don't like Tyson!"

"Never claimed you did, I just pointed out that you talk about him a lot."

"Ooh, girl, you're busted!" Mariah laughed.

"Shut up," Hilary growled through clenched teeth thought her cheeks were tinted a pink hue. She huffed and crossed her arms over her chest as the girls continued to tease and poke fun at her. Finally she just grabbed one of her pillows and smacked Julia across the mouth to keep her from laughing. It then, naturally, escalated into a pillow fight. I have to say it was a lot of fun. Not just the pillow fight, the entire night. I never felt so close to them, to anyone, as I felt towards these girls.

As the night drew on we began to wind down and were laying on sleeping bags in Hilary's room, talking about anything and everything. Mariah and I talked a little bit about how our village worked and the rules and guidelines that went with it. For the first time my mind didn't flash back to my banishment, I could talk about White Tiger Hills without feeling like my heart was being bound. It was great.

"Crys, what do you want to do?" Julia asked me while kicking her legs in the air.

"You mean later in life or…?" I asked while playing with the end of my braid.

"Anytime."

"I want…actually, I want to go back to school," I replied hesitantly. "I miss the opportunity of being able to learn new things every day. I don't see myself beyblading for the rest of my life and I could get far doing anything with a proper education."

"You could go to school here!" Hilary suddenly gasped. "With Tyson and Kenny and me. You could go to school with us."

"I would but I don't know how I'd be able to swing the fees," I replied with a sad smile. "I want it so badly but, realistically, it might not happen so I'm not getting my hopes up too far." Being able to admit that with ease was astonishing and that's when it dawned on me. These girls were my friends. I could come to them with anything and that was something that I longed for for so long. Finally, _finally_ I felt like I fit, like I belonged somewhere. That thought alone helped me sleep more peacefully than I had in a while. But the thought of the upcoming battle still loomed in the back of my mind. The next day…it decided everything.

And I wasn't sure that I could handle that.

* * *

_Sorry for the long wait, I hope this long chapter makes up for it. You get to learn a bit more about Crystal in this chapter, her hopes and dreams and such. I hope you all enjoyed this one. The past couple of chapters have focused so much on BEGA that I wanted one to be more about more teenage things that Crystal could go through and that's how I got the idea for the second half of the chapter. Please read and review and thanks for being so patient. The next one should be up soon 'cause I'm on Christmas Break._

_~C.M._


	28. Chapter 28

**Twenty-Eight**

The sun was high in the seemingly endless blue sky which was a richer blue than I've seen in the past couple of days. There wasn't a single cloud in sight and the screams of laughter from children filled the air. I tried to ignore them as I walked down the street in the direction of Tyson's dojo but it was too hard. I envied them. Their lives were so simple, being able to run around and not worry about their lives changing just yet. I just hoped they didn't have to grow up too fast.

Not like me.

Shaking my head, I continued on my way to Tyson's dojo, not really knowing what to expect. I didn't really know how the guys acted under pressure and if I was feeling it then I knew that they'd be feeling it as well, if not stronger than me.

I took a short cut down a street lined with cherry blossom trees that hung over me like a canopy which let sunlight in in little streaks. How could something so beautiful exist in a world that could possibly be changed for the rest of our lives? It didn't seem possible and yet, it was still here. I closed my eyes and tried to keep the soak in everything, trying to keep in the memory of simpler times while telling myself to stay as calm as possible. Panicking or worrying wasn't going to do much to help today. I just had to put all my faith in Tyson and hope that everything would come out the way we wanted it to happen.

Turning the corner, I finally found myself walking down the street that held Tyson's place. His large dojo loomed in the close distance and towered over me as I walked through the very large space where the double doors usually remained open. I was glad that Grandpa didn't try and surprise me with an attack with his kendo stick this time. My nerves were so on edge I didn't think I'd be responsible for my actions in response to his attack.

Remembering to kick off my shoes before entering the Granger dojo, I pulled open the door to the vast training room that we held our meetings in. I was surprised to see that Ray, Daichi, Kenny, Max, and Tyson were still fast asleep.

_ If Kai were here he would've had them up at the crack of dawn,_ I mused while tucking my hair behind my ears. I placed my hands on my hips and twisted my mouth to the side while debating whether or not I should wake them up or let them continue to sleep. Knowing them they stayed up all night thinking of ever possible outcome for this battle and how they had a plan to cover every situation.

I decided to leave them so they could sleep in a little bit longer. It was better to be well rested, after all. I walked quietly as I could to the kitchen to prepare the pancakes that Tyson wanted. As I was getting out the ingredients for breakfast Grandpa walked in, carrying his kendo stick, like always.

"Well good morning, dudette. Didn't expect you here bright and early," Grandpa commented.

"I'm usually up with the sun," I replied. "And Tyson asked for his good luck pancakes so I figured I might as well humor him since it's an important day today."

"I don't think you dawgs have anything to worry about," Grandpa stated.

"Oh? And why's that?"

"Because you homies have the spirit!" He replied with a laugh. "And, sometimes, that's all you need." I didn't even get a chance to say anything as he left the room, most likely to chop some wood or to practice his kendo moves.

I smiled at his words. It was amazing how alike he and Tyson really were, they both had the passion and positive mentality that helped them go far. It was very endearing. I brushed my hair behind my ears and got to work on breakfast. I put kept my concentration on the pancakes so I wouldn't think about the upcoming mat too much but it didn't work that well. I was just too worried. Boris was about to take away the only thing I had left that reminds me of my parents. How could one not worry?

While I mixed the batter in a bowl I felt the hair on my neck stand up. A second later the familiar scent of lilacs reached her nose. "Hey guys, what brings you here so early?" I asked while turning around, tucking the bowl under my arm. "Huh?" I muttered when I noticed the White Tigers standing behind me. Lee's jaw was set, Gary was holding Kevin over his shoulder, and Mariah was shuffling from foot to foot while looking at the ground. "What's going on?"

"Gary." That's all Lee said but he said it in a way that we all knew meant he meant business. I lifted an eyebrow and my mixing slowed down a little as Gary set Kevin down on the ground and I saw the disgruntled look on the kid's face.

"What did Kevin do this time?" I asked.

"Tell her, Kevin," Lee ordered. Kevin looked up from the floor. He turned his violet eyes to me, then to Lee, back at me, and then to the ground again while shaking his head. "Kevin, tell her before I make you!" Lee growled.

"Lee, your tone's not needed!" I said firmly, glancing in his direction.

"I'm not the bad guy, here," Lee protested. "Don't get upset with me."

"I'm not upset with anyone, I just want to know what's going on," I explained.

"Lee, just calm down," Mariah said while lightly grabbing her brother's arm. "There's no point in getting upset." Lee grumbled something under his breath and crossed his arms over his chest. I shook my head. He got too riled up too fast over nothing. If he wants to be a captain one day he has to learn to calm down.

"Now, Kevin, what is it that you did?" I asked as kindly as possible. Being patient with him was the only way you could go or else he'd just take whatever information he had and run away with it. He was a sneaky little fellow who lived to get on others' nerves. If only Lee would remember that.

"I…mhmmfm," Kevin muttered.

I blinked. "What'd you say?"

"I took…mhmffmm."

"I'm sorry, I didn't catch that."

"He took your diary!" Lee practically exploded. He roughly grabbed Kevin by his upper arm and yanked a leather-bound book out from behind his back and then tossed it to me. "He had it this morning. I caught him reading it."

"I would've told her!" Kevin argued, trying to pull his arm out of Lee's grasp.

"Yeah, on your death bed!"

"Lee, let him go!" I ordered.

"You're not even going to punish him at all?" Lee asked in disbelief.

"Kevin deserves a punishment for taking what doesn't belong to him but you can't react in such a way," I explained, putting the bowl and my diary down. Lee let out a growl, much like a lion's growl. I rolled my eyes. He was being such a drama queen about the whole thing. Turning to Kevin I looked him in the eye. "Kevin, you know taking what isn't yours is wrong, right?" I asked slowly but firmly, making sure he took in what I was saying. He nodded and turned his head away from me.

"Talking to him isn't going to make a difference," Lee spoke up and then he rounded on Kevin. "Did the Whiter Tiger Code of Conduct completely drop from your mind?" he demanded, towering over Kevin. "You know it's not how we operate, it's against our morals."

"_I know_!" Kevin seethed, balling his hands into fists.

"You're a disgrace to the White Tiger name!"

"_That's enough, Lee_!" I pushed my way in between Lee and Kevin, shielding the younger boy from him. I held onto Lee's angry gaze with a hard stare of my own, letting him know I wouldn't back down from him. "Lee, you have to stop."

"Stop protecting him," Lee snarled.

"He's a _kid_, Lee!" I pointed out. "A kid! Raising your voice at him isn't going to help matters!" I looked past his shoulder at Mariah who looked as if she had been yelled at herself. "Are you really going to stand there and let Lee talk to Kevin like that?" I demanded.

"I, uh…" Mariah muttered, looking lost as to what to do. I didn't blame her, really. Lee was a big presence and hard to go against but she needed to learn to stand up to him sometimes.

"Kevin, give me your blade," I told him while holding out my hand. He sighed and reached into his pockets, revealing his purple blade. He placed it in my palm but still refused to look at me. "You can't blade for a week and I want you to write a letter of apology to me for stealing."

"That's it?" Lee demanded.

I snapped my fingers and smiled at Kevin. "Would you like something to eat?" I added.

"Yeah," he muttered, finally looking up at me.

"You're going to offer him something to eat after he stole from you?" Lee asked.

"Lee, just because my ways of discipline are different than yours doesn't mean they aren't effective. He didn't kill anyone; he stole my diary, that's all. I have nothing embarrassing in it so it's not like there's anything he can tell people that they'd actually care about," I replied, reaching into a bowl and handing Kevin an apple. At his frown I said, "It's an apple or nothing."

"Thank you, Crystal," he said somewhat begrudgingly.

"Gary, you can have one too," I said while grabbing another one and holding it out to him.

"Gary's going to need a whole bushel of apples to fill that stomach of his," Kevin said with a laugh, lightly elbowing his large friend in the side.

"Do me a favor and get the newspaper," I said while shooing him away. As soon as he and Gary left the room I turned to Lee. "You have to relax," I told him. "Kevin likes to push buttons and—"

"I think I know Kevin more than you do so I don't need your advice," Lee growled.

"I've known Kevin just as long as you have, Einstein," I pointed out, placing my hands on my hips. "What's wrong with him this morning?" I asked Mariah who had stayed unusually quiet. She didn't say anything but looked at Lee. If it were possible I swear his eyes would burst into flames by how angry he looked.

"Don't talk about me as if I'm not here," Lee spat.

"You're getting so worked up over something that doesn't even involve you," I pointed out. "It was my diary which Kevin stole so I should be the one who punish him in any way I see fit. Raising my voice isn't going to do anything to him but resent me. He wouldn't get the point. Why do you think he always defies you?"

"_Do you dare to insinuate that I can't handle my own team_?"

"Lee, that's enough!" Mariah scolded. "She wasn't saying that. She was just saying that you have to realize that being abrasive isn't always the answer to dealing with the things Kevin does."

"Back off, Mariah! This has nothing to do with you!" Lee said to his sister.

"She's right, though. The elders taught us that—" I started.

"_Don't you dare shove what the elders say in my face!"_

"_What_ is going on here?" Ray's stern voice came from my right. Lee, Mariah, and I all turned to see him standing in the doorway, his arms crossed over his chest and a stern gaze to match his tone. "Can you please keep it down?" He continued, walking into the room. "Tyson had a late night and I'd rather he get a full night's sleep than to wake up to your bellyaching."

"Ray, you don't—" Lee started but stopped at the look that Ray had given him. Lee let out a soft growl and bit his lip.

"What is it that's so important that you two can't talk it out later and that you have to fight about it now?" Ray asked. I started to open my mouth but Ray held up his hand, silencing me. I hated the power he had over me sometimes but I knew it wasn't worth having him mad at me either. "Mariah, could you please explain what happened?"

"Y'see, Ray, sometime yesterday Kevin had stolen something of Crystal's. We didn't find out about it until this morning," Mariah babbled, looking at him with big eyes as if silently pleading for him not to be angry with him as well. "Crys told him that he can't blade for a week and he had to write a letter for her, which upset Lee. He wanted Kevin to have a worse punishment. He got angry when Crys tried to tell him that yelling and, figuratively, bringing down the hammer wouldn't help with Kevin. Lee got a little hot around the collar and here we are."

Ray sighed and rubbed his face with his hands. I didn't think he'd say anything so it was a bit of a surprise to me when he spoke. "This fight is petty. Lee, it was Crystal's possession that Kevin took so it was up to her to make a punishment for him. Leader or not while I'm part of the BBA team, you shouldn't have gotten involved. And Crys, you know how Lee can get if provoked or if he feels personally attacked." He sighed. "Your fighting is stemming from the pressure of today. Added pressure that Tyson doesn't need so I'd appreciate it if you two could bury the hatchet and just be there for Tyson, okay?"

"Ray's right, guys," Mariah spoke up. I felt my eye twitch at bit. _Of course she'd agree with him. If she weren't engaged herself it wouldn't surprise me if she were jumping him about now,_ I mused as I turned back to the breakfast that I had been preparing. "And everything's over and done with. Crys, you got your diary back and that's all that matters." She let out a little laugh and said, "You two are fighting like you're married already. I can't wait to see the kind of fights you'll get into once we get back home."

"You'll be thinking that for a while because I'm not going back to the village, once this is all over," I replied as I poured the batter into equal sized circles onto the hotplate.

"What do you mean you're not going back?" Ray asked.

"I mean I'm not going back," I replied, slowly pronouncing each word while setting the container down and turning to rest my back near the stove.

"Good riddance," Lee muttered. I flipped him off.

"You have to come back," Mariah said.

"I don't _have_ to do anything," I pointed out.

"Why don't you want to come back with us?" Ray asked looking at me in such a way that I knew he was trying to read my face for something.

I shrugged. "There's nothing for me back there, now is there? Except for a marriage I don't even want to go through and people who constantly judge the ground I walk on. Not really the group of people I want to spend the rest of my life around."

Mariah made a huffing sound as if she were offended. Lee made a scoffing sound but otherwise stayed silent. Ray, of course, was the one to grill me. "You have nowhere else to go. Where would you stay?"

I shrugged again. "I didn't think that far ahead. I guess I'd just stay here with Tyson for a bit before I think of something."

"What would you do?"

"Go to school somehow. I don't know how just yet but I'll figure out a way." I scrunched up my nose a little bit. "How come you're not trying to make me go back?" I asked.

His eyebrows twitched a little bit. "Because if you want to come back I want you to make that decision on your own. If you don't want to, that's your decision too. I'm not going to force you."

"Wh…what's going on?" Max asked sleepily as he, Tyson, and Kenny walked into the kitchen. Max was yawning and rubbing his eyes, trying to rub the sleep off of his face. Kenny seemed far more awake than the others but Tyson had a sort of look of determination in his eyes.

"Nothing," I said in a tone that should signal the end of the conversation. "I just started your pancakes, Ty, but if you'd like to battle me before hand—"

Suddenly Tyson was awake. "I could use a wake-up battle. Count me in!"

* * *

"Ha, I win again," Tyson said triumphantly while lightly rubbing underneath his nose. I let out a growl of frustration while picking up Dricen who had rolled to a stop by my foot. "But don't get too discouraged. It takes a lot of natural talent and a little bit of practice to get on my level."

"You better be careful. If your head gets any bigger you'll float away. It has a bit too much hot air," I commented as I brushed dirt off of my beyblade. "I'd take you on again but—"

"You don't want to suffer another crushing defeat?" Tyson interrupted me. "I was thinking the same thing. I'll spare whatever's left of your pride."

I crossed my arms over my chest. "One day I will beat you Tyson—"

"Keep dreaming, sister!"

"—but I was going to say I don't want to throttle Dragoon enough that you don't win today's battle. I don't think I have to remind you how crucial this battle is and I don't want Kenny to work too hard to fix Dragoon before this match," I finally finished, my teeth clenched so hard I could feel a vein in my jaw pumping. I loved Tyson to death but his cockiness will be the death of him one day, I swear.

"She has a point, Tyson, let me give Dragoon a look over to make sure there's not too much structural damage," Kenny called from where he was sitting, his trusty laptop was open on his lap like usual. Tyson, a bit reluctantly, went over to Kenny and handed over Dragoon.

"Okay, who wants to battle me next?" I asked while looking from Max to the White Tigers who were all lounging around, having watched Tyson's and my battle with a lot of interest. I loaded Dricen onto my launcher and shoved the ripcord into the hole while waiting. "No takers?" I asked with a lift of my eyebrows. "Where's the White Tiger courage? I promise I won't beat you all too much," I teased. If it would get any of them to blade so be it. Just as I expected, Lee was the first one to get hot under his collar. He had jumped up to face me but Mariah stopped him and took his place on the other side of the dish. "I'm surprised you want to take me on, Wong," I commented with a slow clap. "I have to say, I'm going to miss this."

Mariah glared at me. "I didn't take you for being such a coward," he said while loading her pink blade onto her launcher. At the confused look on my face she sighed. "Same ol' Crystal, always running away instead of facing her problems. You're more of a coward than I thought."

"I'm not a coward!" I hissed. "How dare you lie?"

"It's not a lie when it's the truth!" She used her beyblade to point at me. "What're you going to do once this tournament is over? Run away again?" She sneered. "I shouldn't be surprised; you're so used to that. What happens if you make more friends wherever you go? Are you going to ditch them to?"

"Shut up! You don't know what you're talking about!"

She smirked. "Oh don't I? You know, you and Ray are a lot alike. You both run away instead of facing your problems head on. At least, he _used_ to be like that. Now he knows that sometimes facing your fears head on is the only way to go in life. Unlike you. You're just going to keep running, aren't you?"

"Are you going to blade or are you going to talk yourself hoarse?" I asked, holding Dricen up. I got into my ready position. After a few seconds Mariah did the same.

"On one," Max said as he stepped up to the dish, acting as a referee. "Three…two…one…"

"_Let it rip!_" Mariah and I called in unison while launching our beyblades. Galux landed in the dish and immediately started to circle it while Dricen spun in the center.

"Come on, fight me!" Mariah ordered. "That's what you want, isn't it? To fight away anyone who dares to get close to you. Am I right?"

"Will you just shut up and blade already?" I asked, trying to focus. I could feel everyone's eyes on us and it left a strange crawling sensation on my skin. I wanted to get his battle with over already but I couldn't get too drastic with my moves. That'd surely end up in my losing and I wasn't going to let _that_ happen. Not to _her_. What was she playing at anyway? I had to keep her from getting under my skin but it was so tough with her.

"What's…going on here?" Max muttered.

"I don't think this is about beyblading anymore," Tyson replied.

"Heh. You're scared of getting close to anyone, that's it isn't it? Look, if you come back we can forget about the past and start over."

"I can't start over, Mariah!" I yelled. "Dricen, _attack_! _Show no mercy_!" I ordered. Dricen shot forward at the perfect time to smash into Galux. As they spun around the dish he tried to push her out but Galux pushed back. I was slightly impressed. It was obvious that she had been practicing. "C'mon, Tiger Claw!"

"Cat Scratch!"

Sparks flew and the distinct smell of burning parts filled the air. In a beam of pink and blue light Galux and Dricen both revealed themselves and started swiping at each other. They bounced up on their hind legs and scratched with their sharp claws, trying to land a hit on the other one.

"So you can fight head on in the dish but not out of it, huh?" Mariah taunted.

"My decision about not going back has nothing to do with you, Mariah!"

"That's where you're wrong! It has to do with _all_ of us!" Mariah shot back. I let out a little gasp. I was taken aback by the conviction in her voice and the glare that was being thrown my way. I've never seen her so furious before. "That's what you have to remember about being a White Tiger! If one of us is hurt, all of us are! We're a team. A _family_!"

"Some family!" I bit back. "One that turns their back on their members when they leave for personal reasons or when they don't have a choice! If anyone was a traitor it was you all for thinking we were the enemies when we left!"

"We apologized for that but you keep throwing it in our faces! We're trying to move on from it but you keep bringing it back _like the coward that you are! Galux!"_

_"Dricen!"_

It seemed as if the more Mariah and I yelled at each other the more vicious Galux and Dricen got at attacking each other. Claws dug and clung into the opponents, jaws clamped down on any limb that was reachable. Hind legs were extended to try and catch the other off guard. No matter how many hits, how many times the holder of power shifted they wouldn't give up fighting.

"Don't act like you know what I'm going through, Mariah!" I yelled over the sounds of the fighting bit beasts. "Your family is still intact! You don't understand what I've been through!"

"I would if you'd just _let me in_!"

"Hey Ray, you're just going to let them fight each other like that?" Tyson asked. Out of the corner of my eye I could see that Ray was in his normal stance: eyes closed, head down, one leg crossed over the other. It was a stance he reverted to whenever he felt he needed to go to meditation for strength.

"It's best they work out their problems in any way that they can," he replied without opening his eyes. "For those two, beyblading is the way to go."

"You just don't get it," I continued, clenching my hands into fists. My adrenaline was pumping, much like my heart and I could hear the blood rushing in my ears. "Beyblading is…it's my life! This is it for me. I don't have the…the opportunities that the rest of you have."

"It's a _game_! I know beyblading is the only thing you have left to remind you of your parents—I remember Dricen used to belong to your mother—but you have to remember that as long as you have your beyblade with you your parents are with you as well! Winning battles…it's not going to bring them back no matter how hard you try! They _can't_ come back, Crys! They can't! You have to stop blaming yourself for their deaths because it wasn't your fault."

"_Enough! Dricen, Arctic Strike!"_

_"Galux, Lynx Claw Attack!"_

Both blades reared back and charged at each other at high spinning speeds. As soon as they clashed together there was a large wave of energy coupled with a loud explosion and bright beam of light. I brought my arms up to my face to shield my eyes from the light and felt my stomach turn from the energy waves that were moving through me. I brought my arms down in time to see a blade flying at my face so I grabbed it in midair.

Pink.

What? I had Mariah's blade in my hand. I looked across the dish to see Mariah holding my blade in her hands. So it ended in a draw. I closed my hand into a fist and felt the edges of her attack ring poking in my fingers. I felt more drained than I expected. I had to say I was impressed; she put up a really good fight this time. Usually I could beat her in about five minutes. I took a deep breath to ease my heavy breathing and then walked over to her, holding out my hand.

"Thanks," Mariah said with a small smile as she took Galux and held out Dricen. I accepted him silently. "I thought I had you this time." Her words were guarded as if she expected me to blow up at her or something. I gave a little laugh. I had done that before so I didn't blame her at all.

"Heh. You're going to have to work a little bit harder to take Dricen down," I told her. "But I'm sure you can do it one day."

"You mean it?"

I shrugged. "Yeah." Then I lifted my finger in a mock warning way. "But I'm not going to make it easy for you."

"I wouldn't want it any other way."

I nodded and then cleared my throat at the silence. It was very stifling and it made me uncomfortable, as if the others were waiting to see who would speak first. I beat them to the punch. "Uh, Tyson, we better get going. Don't want to be late.

Tyson punched his fist into the air. "Oh yeah! BEGA is going down!"

* * *

_I just want to take the time to thank all of my readers, those who review and those anonymous readers. Without you all I wouldn't have kept my inspiration for this story. While I do enjoy writing it you're the reason why I keep updating as soon as I possibly can. I especially want to thank **Aldamonburst** and **Shiningheart of ThunderClan **for being my faithful and loyal reviewers. I appreciate you two so much! Thank you all and Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!_

_~C.M._


	29. Chapter 29

**Twenty-Nine**

"Alright bladers, here it is! The beystadium is ready! Are you?" DJ Jazzman yelled into his microphone.

"I really wish that guy would stop yelling," I muttered over the noise of the anxious audience. Not that my comment was even relevant with what was going on but the others were so quiet—_too _quiet—that I had to say something to break the silence. It was beginning to make me nervous. I felt my fingers twitching by my side as I looked around the stadium.

I felt my heart lurch a bit when I locked eyes with Boris. He had a large smirk on his face which made him look more sinister than usual. I clenched my hands into fists. _You won't beat us, Boris, _I thought while glaring at him. _Tyson won't let you. With this win, it'll prove that I can ruin your life just like you ruined mine! You didn't beat me Boris, You may have taken my family away but you didn't beat me because I have friends that will always have my back!_

"Are you okay?" Hilary asked while putting a hand on my shoulder.

I tore my eyes away from Boris and swiveled my head around, locking my blue eyes with her red ones. "Yeah," I replied with a nod. "I'm just a little nervous," I admitted, while looking over at Tyson. "This is pressure that no one should feel, least of all Tyson."

"I know," Hilary agreed. "He's always the one who steps up and helps us out of trouble." She sighed a little. "He doesn't deserve this. No one does. The only thing we can do now is support him."

"I hate not being able to do anything."

"I do too."

As the dish was revealed I looked at Tyson to see what his reaction would be and was taken aback. His jaw was set and he had the most determined look in his eye that I've ever seen in my life. He was ready, that was for sure. He was ready to give and maybe sacrifice it all just to protect beyblading as we knew it. I clasped my hands together and pressed the tips of my fingers into the backs of my hand while silently praying that he'd be able to pull this off.

He_ had _to.

"Whoa!" I uttered as soon as their beyblades were launched. "Kenny, did you see that launch?" I asked, turning to him.

"That power…!" Kenny gasped. "I've never seen a launch like that!"

"Hey, what do you think Brooklyn was waiting for when he launched his beyblade so late?" Max asked no one in particular.

"Who knows? That creep! Maybe he's just showing off for the rest of his team," Daichi replied.

"Anything's possible, especially with Brooklyn," Hilary reasoned.

"Tyson, watch out! Brooklyn's up to something!" Kenny advised.

Tyson played to his strengths—going on the attack—like he usually did but all Brooklyn did in response was laugh. No matter how many times Dragoon attacked Zeus it didn't seem to do much damage to the BEGA blader's blade. No matter what, Tyson wouldn't back down. Dragoon kept attacking head on. Hit after hit, Dragoon attacked but nothing worked. Zeus was just too powerful.

"If Tyson keeps this up Dragoon is going to use all of his energy right off the bat," I spoke up.

My words fell on deaf ears as Daichi, Max, and Ray were all so enthralled in the match. Couldn't they see that Tyson was digging himself an early grave? This is probably what Brooklyn, Boris, and Hiro expected. It was Tyson's main game plan, to hit them hard with as much energy as he could muster and as quickly as possible before the opponent could attack him back. It was like Kai's plan but a little bit different. With Kai he used a large part of his energy in the first strike, especially on those he didn't think were worth his time to fight, but he'd still have energy left over in case a battle went on longer than he thought. At this rate Tyson would be finished with one blow.

"Something's not right," Ray muttered.

"Tyson's not letting up on his attacks and Brooklyn's still pushing him around," Max noted.

"I think it's his beyblade," Kenny reasoned. "Its super speed spin rotation easily evaded Dragoon's attack…and _that's_ why all of Dragoon's blows are just bouncing harmlessly off of it!"

"Do you think he stands a chance, Kenny?" I asked.

"Hard to say."

_Come on, Tyson. You can do this. You can do this_, I encouraged mentally. Almost as soon as the thought crossed my mind I let out a scream at the explosion that rocked the building. Red electricity shot out everywhere as the ground underneath Tyson crumbled and everything was swallowed in dust.

"Ty…Tyson," Ray uttered in shock.

"Tyson no…" I whimpered. He was getting such a beating. I squeezed my eyes shut. I couldn't see what was happening. I hated feeling so helpless.

"Hey! Check that out guys!" Daichi called out in excitement. I opened my eyes to see that he was pointing up at the jumbotron. Could it be…? _Yes!_ "It's Dragoon! Still spinning! _Tyson's still in the game!_"

"Yeah, but where is he?" Max asked, his voice laced with concern. "I can't see him."

We all waited, holding our breaths as the dust slowly cleared from the screen. I gasped when I saw him. He was lying against boulders, his arms and legs askew and covered in dust and a few scratches. I felt my body starting to shake as I covered my mouth with my hands in shock. This was going too far!

"Oh no…" Daichi uttered.

"_TYSON!_" We yelled in unison.

"Get up, Tyson!" Max called.

"C'mon dude!" Ray begged.

"Tyson!" Daichi called.

"Tyson! Tyson!" I screamed. I didn't even realize that I had started running for the battle zone until I felt myself being restrained around my waist. "Let go! I have to get to Tyson!" I yelled while struggling against my captor. Tears burned the corners of my eyes and I did my best to keep them from falling. I had to get to him, I just had to!

"Crys, stop," Ray said as he held onto me tighter to keep me from getting out of his grip. I fought as much as I could but Ray was far more stronger than I was.

"Ray, we have to help Tyson!"

"We can't do anything! This is _his_ battle, let him fight it!"

"No, Ray! Tyson's hurt! Brooklyn's taking this too far!"

"Guys, look!" Hilary exclaimed, grabbing my attention.

I turned my tear-filled eyes to the destroyed battle dish and let out a little laugh of surprise. Tyson was steadily getting to his feet while Dragoon still continued to spin triumphantly.

"Y'see? Tyson's a fighter, he'll make it through this," Ray said into my ear as he let me go. I reached out and grabbed onto the crook of his elbow and stepped closer to him.

"I hope you're right," I told him.

"Every blader on Earth is counting on me…" Tyson addressed Brooklyn. "…to stop you and BEGA once and for all. I won't let you or Boris ruin something that makes so many kids so happy! _Go Dragoon_!"

Brooklyn merely laughed at Dragoon's attempt at attacking him. Suddenly a wave of energy shot out from Zeus and sent Tyson flying backwards and smacking into a boulder before he slumped to the ground. I bit my lip har to keep from crying out Tyson's name while simultaneously tightening my grip on Ray's arm. Wordlessly, he brought his free hand over and rested it on top of mine, giving it a squeeze without tearing his eyes away from the battle. The audience was going crazy at the spectacle that played out before them.

Tyson managed to get back to his feet and continue the battle. _How could he keep getting back up? He was being thrashed but he still kept going…. He's a better blader than I gave him credit for,_ I thought in amazement. Even I knew when to pack it in but Tyson…he'd keep going until the ends of the Earth.

"Atta boy!" Brooklyn laughed and added tauntingly, "I can't decide if you're brave, Tyson, or just foolish enough to match beyblades with me after what you just experienced." He let out another soft laugh. "Whatever. It doesn't even matter that the beystadium is devastated." The smile slipped off of his face as he tilted his head down, his hair casting a shadow over his eyes. His whole demeanor seemed to have changed in an instant. "With my mind power…I can create a new way to blade. I can create a whole new world! _An alternate bey dimension existing in the depths of my mind!_"

I brought my free arm up to cover myself from the strong wind that seemed to come out of nowhere. Electricity started to spark from Brooklyn's blade the more he yelled.

"_I REFUSE TO TAKE PART IN THIS OUTDATED OLD FASHIONED METHOD OF BEYBATTLE_!" Brooklyn screamed. The wind picked up and managed to knock Tyson over but Dragoon still spun. It was as if the wind was making him spin faster, being that Dragoon's element was the wind. "_WEI'LL DO THIS _MY _WAY_!"

"No! Tyson, get up!" Kenny yelled over the wind.

"Brooklyn's too powerful," Hilary admitted.

"What is this? What's going on here?" Ray asked as he looked around.

"It's like a bad disaster movie," Max commented.

"Okay, so you're strong enough to blow the stadium to bits. Big deal! You and I are here to beyblade! _SO LET'S START BEYBLADING_!" Tyson yelled as he, once again, got back to his feet.

"Brooklyn's losing it!" I pointed out. "What's he doing to his blade?" I asked even though I didn't expect an answer. Something weird was going on. It started to glow a strange purple color. The wave of energy expanded before shooting straight up into the ceiling and busting a hole in it, arching towards the sky.

"I will defeat you, Tyson. Even if that means moving the battle into a different dimension," Brooklyn announced, a sort of manic tone coming to his voice. "Into the world inside my mind." A chill ran down my back as I watched in horror as a sort of black hole formed in the sky. "Then we can be free of annoying announcers, pestering crowds, ridiculous bey stadiums…and suspicious team members. Yes! That sounds very good. _Doesn't it, Tyson_? And of course, I can have free reign over all the powers in my mind. Watch this!" I blinked rapidly to make sure I wasn't seeing things. Did Brooklyn actually grow black wings? No matter how many times I tried to clear my vision they didn't go away. What kind of power did this guy have? "Look how I can transform myself into a creature from one of your nightmares!"

With a powerful downstroke Brooklyn took off into the air, Zeus following him, and backed towards the giant black hole that swirled and sucked in anything that wasn't stable behind him. I looked over at the large box that Boris had been standing on to see that even he looked shocked at what was going on.

"I don't care about championships or BEGA," Brooklyn announced from high above us. "All I care about…is finishing this match and beating you Tyson…_once and for all_! _GO ZEUS! Welcome to my new dimension!_"

Over the roar of the wind I locked into the trembling beneath my feet. Daichi seemed to have felt it too for he had jumped on top of Max and clung to him for protection. The rumbling grew louder and louder, taking over the strong whistling sound in my ears. With a sudden lurch, as if in an elevator, we all fell to the ground as the trembling got stronger.

"Everyone okay?" Kenny asked as he slowly got back to his feet. "Huh? Ahhhhh!" He screamed. I lowered my arms from my head and pushed myself up so I was on my knees. I quickly brushed dirt off of my clothes and then turned to see what he was screaming about.

"Oh my God!" I gasped when I saw what looked like Tokyo. Buildings, cars, and plants were floating in the air as if there weren't any gravity left.

"Crusher, tell me this isn't happening!" Ming-Ming begged as soon as she was uncovered from a rock-like tomb that she and Crusher had been covered in.

"I don't know what's going on here," he replied.

"Listen to me," Garland spoke up. "All this is simply a reflection of Brooklyn's mind. Brooklyn has made a perfect recreation of this world including this arena and now he's changing it to suit his own needs."

"That's _incredible_!" Kenny gasped.

"Guys, we gotta get outta here," Max said once we were all near Tyson.

"Well, if you know how we can do that I'm all ears," Hilary replied while helping Kenny to his feet.

"Forget it!" Tyson stated. "I'm not leaving until this battle is over."

"What?" Hilary cried out incredulously. "How will you ever be able to stop him now?"

"I can't just give up, Hil!" Tyson protested, turning to look us all in the eye. "I've got to try my best, no matter what! I can't just leave Brooklyn here!" At our dumbfounded looks Tyson continued. "I know you all think Brooklyn is our enemy but we're all beybladers. And if we fight with all of our strength we'll finally be able to understand each other. This freaky dimension of his is completely make believe anyway, but if this is Brooklyn's mind this is too sad!"

I sighed. "The boy's got a point."

"We were fighting until now to bring back the kind of beybattles we believe in but it isn't enough to win! Unless I can show Brooklyn and make him understand the true spirit of beyblading. Until then we haven't won this! I _have_ to try. Right guys? This is why I…I still have to finish this battle with Brooklyn."

"_Well that's it then_. _Do it, Tyson. Do it_."

My ears perked up at that voice. I knew who it was but…it couldn't be! Could it? Tyson's head swiveled around until he spotted a lone figure standing on top of a large piece of rock that jutted from the wrecked a few feet away.

"Is that…?" Max whispered next to me.

"_Kai_!" Tyson gasped.

"Just follow the path you believe in, Tyson. No matter what happens. Beyblade. No matter if you win or lose just keep your spirit strong," Kai advised.

"Who knew he had such a way with words?" I couldn't help but chuckle. It was such a sight to see Kai giving Tyson advice, willingly.

"Go Tyson!" Ray urged.

"We're all behind you," Kenny said.

"Thanks guys. Now, do you think we can use Brooklyn's world against him?" Tyson asked with that smile of confidence he always wore and a thumbs-up was thrown our way.

"You can do it, Ty!" I replied.

"Just trust me guys," Tyson said before turning around to look at Dragoon. "Now let's test drive this dimension!"

And all we could do was wait. Wait and watch as Tyson someone mananged to get up into the air and become a part of Brooklyn's crazy dimension. Every nerve inside of me was telling me to try and get up there with him, to protect him as much as I could for he didn't deserve the pressure put on him but I knew, deep down, that I couldn't do anything but watch and wait on bated breath for one of my dearest friends to come back to us safe and sound.

"Tyson will be okay," Kai said from behind me. I squeezed my eyes shut and let out a breath. "He has…the heart and the passion for beyblading. And nothing…not even true talent can beat that."

The battle was intense. I didn't know how Tyson still had the energy to fight but he kept going and going. The rest of us just watched in awe as the battle escalated until finally the sky turned a strange purple color and seemed to be sucked into the black hole-like dimension that Brooklyn had created.

"No! If Brooklyn uses his attack while he's still in the darkened state of mind…!" Hiro gasped. Then he turned to us, urgency etched into his face. "Everyone! Get out, now! Don't make me say it again! Brooklyn's powers are still a mystery! It's too dangerous for us to stay here!"

"Yeah, but…" Hilary muttered.

"We can't just leave Tyson here like this!" Kenny protested.

"I think he'll be okay, guys," Max said with a small smile. "He's gonna win."

"Sure is!" Diachi agreed, punching a fist into the air. "And we'd be the ones to know!"

"Right," Ray agreed with a nod. "Because he's got us on his side!"

"And we're not going to leave a teammate behind," I finished.

We turned our attention back up to the sky in time to see Brooklyn call on Zeus. That bitbeast…it was by far the biggest one I've seen in my life and equally scary, especially coupled with the power that Brooklyn had. Dragoon was doing his best but Zues was too strong for him. We had to do something to help him, we just had to! I felt a strange surge of energy in my pocket where Dricen was sitting and, in the back of my mind, I heard him growling. He was getting restless.

The other bitbeasts must've been feeling it too because, in the next second, two jets of water started to spin in the tornado that Dragoon had created. Draciel was coming out to help! Then, one by one, our bitbeast powers were being transferred to Dragoon as well: the ice element from Wolborg and Dricen, the electric element from Driger, the wind element from Daichi, and the fire element from Dranzer.

"Tyson, attack!" Kai called. "Don't hold back! Give 'im everything you've got!"

"What's happening to his balde?" Ray asked.

"It's responding to the feelings of his friends!" Kenny gasped. "Our strengths have all been combined into one force. Dragoon has evolved into the strongest beyblade the world has ever seen!"

"Whoa," I whispered at the magnificent fight. The two beyblades charged at each other and, as soon as they crashed, emitted a very bright white light and a rush of wind. When I lowered my arms I squinted at the bright sunlight that was peeking through the slightly cloudy sky. Wait…the _sky_? I lowered my arms completely to see that we were now standing outside of what was now a torn down BEGA building surrounded by rubble and debris from the other surrounding buildings. I sighed with relief when I saw the rest of the Bladebreakers team were kneeling on the ground by me and they all looked relatively unharmed.

I placed a hand on my chest and let out a long sigh of relief and then let out a gasp of disbelief when I saw that Zeus and Dragoon were _still_ spinning. I managed to get to my feet and brushed some dirt off of my clothes. "I wonder…" I muttered, letting my eyes scan the field until I saw the shocking purple head of Boris so I started in his direction.

"Where are you going? The match isn't over yet," Hilary said in confusion.

"I know, I have something I need to take care of really fast," I replied, not taking my eyes off of Boris's form that had been crouched on the ground. By the time I had reached him Hiro was there already talking to Boris.

"…Things are out of your control now. Nobody, not even you can stop all of them, Boris," Hiro said firmly. "

"You couldn't be more wrong, Hiro," Boris said while grabbing Hiro by the front of his shirt. I lifted my eyebrows in amazement. Boris was actually…begging Hiro to tell him that he was wrong. I let out a loud, gleeful laugh. Boris was finally out of power! He had no hold over me or anyone from the Abbey anymore. I was _free_! "This isn't possible!"

"Tyson and his friends have been growing stronger. I tried training BEGA's best bladders. I tried to create an even higher standard for them to surpass and they did. Their improvement has exceeded even my highest expectations. It cannot be denied." Hiro tilted his head. Boris and I followed his gaze to the circle of spectators around Tyson and Brooklyn. "How things have changed, Boris," Hiro continued in a taunting voice. "Neither Tyson nor Brooklyn has any fancy attacks left. There's not even a stadium anymore but look how lively they are! Their spirits have been re-energized. There are no enemies and allies anymore. Anyone can enjoy the game anywhere—_freely_. The true essence of beyblading has finally returned to the world."

"Hiro's right," I finally spoke up. "Beyblading isn't about who's stronger than the other person. It isn't about how has the most powerful bitbeast or the best technology to go with it. Beylading is about heart and passion and drive and _fun_! Things that you've been trying to take away from us and the rest of the world. And you _failed_."

"They didn't need a professional league like BEGA," Hiro continued at the shocked look on Boris's face. "Never did. BEGA's team…is history, Boris."

Boris fell to his knees. "And so…are all my plans," he moaned in despair.

I watched as Hiro silently walked off, discarding his sunglasses along the way. I turned back to Boris and let out a little sigh. "I forgive you," I told him. He turned to look at me over his shoulder. "I forgive you for what you did. I forgive you for coming to the village that day, trying to take Dricen for yourself. I forgive you for killing my parents as a result. I forgive you for, ultimately, leading me to be banished. I forgive you for the way you treated me in the Abbey while I was there for a short time. What I _don't_ forgive you for, however, is trying to ruins something that we all love, something that our world revolves around. I don't forgive you for being a power-hungry, dictator and ruining many kids' lives. For that, you deserve everything that's coming to you."

Boris let out a little bitter laugh. "I may be down but I'm not out. Dricen will end up in my possession, even if you have to go the way of your father!"

I glared at him but didn't bat an eyelash. "Dricen and I will be stronger and ready to take you on. I'm not scared of you, anymore. I'm free. Just you wait, Boris, just you wait."

I spun on my heel to join the others at the battle, pausing to pick up Hiro's sunglasses along the way. I held them by the arms and walked quickly to the battle, I didn't want to miss a minute. I pushed my way through the crowds and stood next to Max and Mariah.

"Is everything alright?" Mariah asked me hesitantly, looking at me out of the corner of my eye. I looked down at the sunglasses and then looked at her with a smile.

"Yeah," I replied with a nod. "Everything's alright."

She smiled as well. "Good."

* * *

"How's your head, Tala?" I asked as I adjusted the pillow that he was lying against. His head was still heavily bandaged from his battle against BEGA. He had a few bandaids on his cheeks as well as scratches and bruises on his arms and legs but otherwise he looked better than before. He seemed to be in better spirits as well because he had been talking nonstop trying to get Kai to crack.

Lying down on the hospital bed next to Tala was Tyson. From his waist up to his head was heavily bandaged, except for his left eye. His legs got away with a few bruises. He ended up having bruised ribs and a punctured lung as well as many gashes on his arms.

"I'm doing fine," Tala replied, bringing his hand up and lightly touching the bandages that were wrapped around his head.

I nodded and turned to Kai who had his arms crossed over his chest, as usual, and was looking straight up at the ceiling. "And you, Kai?" I asked, turning to him.

He moved his one good eye to look at me and gave a little shrug. "I'm alright," he finally replied while letting out a breath.

I laughed softly. "A little bored?" I guessed. I got a grunt in reply. "Don't worry. You'll be out in the next few days."

I then moved over to the last bed in the large hospital room. It was situated by the door and currently occupied by the navy haired beyblader who mastered the Dragoon bit. Tyson had his head turned towards the window, watching large cranes move pieces of steel as they hurried to rebuild the city. "Nice view," I commented as I sat on the edge of his bed.

Tyson turned to me and gave me a bright smile. "Best view in the whole place, if you ask me," he said with a little laugh and ran his bandaged hand through his messy hair. "Especially since my other option are the two sad sacks over there," he added, jerking his thumb in Kai's and Tala's direction.

"Watch it, Tyson," Kai uttered.

"Heh heh, whatcha gonna do to me, Kai? Make me run laps? Practice my basic moves?" Tyson asked while pulling down one of his eyelids and stuck out his tongue. "The tournament's over. We won. Now it's time for Summer Vacation and I don't have to battle until the next tournament comes around. And who knows when that'll be?"

"Hn…wise guy," Kai muttered under his breath.

"Oh, don't worry about him," Tyson said with a wave of his hand. "He just hates being stuck in here. I'm trying to lighten the mood for him, but I don't think I'm doing to well."

I let out a giggle—a rare feat from me—at his teasing. "They're calling you a hero, y'know," I told Tyson, lightly touching his arm while I let my eyes travel over his bandaged hand to his bandaged chest. "It's in all the papers."

I expected Tyson to get that big dopey grin on his face. I expected him to gloat and to cheer about having more fans. I expected him to preach that it was no big deal and he'd be happy to do it again. It was why I was surprised when he said, "You're the real hero, not me."

I blinked. "I don't follow, Tyson."

"If it weren't for you coming when you came I don't think I'd have the confidence I needed to beat him," Tyson replied. "You always knew I could do it. The others…sometimes I felt like they gave up on me every now and then but you never did. And I want to thank you for that."

I shook my head. "Don't thank me, thank the fates. They're the reason why I'm here."

Tyson gave a half smile. "Even then they never said you had to stick around and deal with us and make sure we ate and had clean clothes and take on the responsibility of trying to master the new heavy metal system along with us." He winked and rubbed his stomach while adding, "Not to mention bringing us good food past visiting hours so we wouldn't have to eat hospital food."

"After the tournament ended I needed something to fill my free time," I replied.

The BEGA tournament ended with a bang. In the end Tyson won by outlasting Brooklyn when it came down to how much spin they had left. Brooklyn's Zeus toppled over and Dragoon stopped on its point at least two seconds later. Brooklyn and Tyson met in the center of the circle, giving each other handshakes and exchanged promises to battle again. The rest of the Bladebreakers and I shook their hands, as well as Kenny and Hilary, each saying how the battles were the hardest we've ever fought before.

Almost as soon as Tyson and Brooklyn turned away from each other the media had surrounded Tyson with microphones and video cameras and flashbulbs going off in his faces. If it weren't for Mr. Dickenson ushering them all towards the limo he had arrived in Tyson would've surely been overwhelmed with the attention. Mr. Dickenson had taken Tala, Kai, and Tyson straight to the hospital to get checked out and sent the rest of us out to have a celebration dinner. We didn't want to have it without those three so we just brought takeout back to the hospital and had the dinner with them.

Since then our days have been so empty we got bored. Max and Kenny decided to help Mr. Tate in his hobby shop, Hilary and I kept up with the garden at the Granger dojo. Ray and I helped Grandpa Granger out around the house, mainly him on the cooking front and me with the cleaning. Daichi basically sulked around the dojo all day, complaining about needing another battle with Tyson. The White Tigers and the PPB All Starz and the other teams came in every now and then to help out but otherwise they were taking their time to sightsee around Tokyo.

"Well, I really appreciate it," Tyson said as he lightly patted my hand and then gave it a squeeze. "Have you decided on what you're going to do? Whether you're going to go back to China or not?"

I sighed and shook my head. "Still no clue. The others aren't saying it but I know they want me to go back. But if I do I won't have the opportunity to go to a good school and I _really_ want to go."

"Why?" Tyson wrinkled his nose. "You actually have to do _homework_."

"I know, but I haven't been in one place for more than three months and I actually want to interact with more people than just you guys."

"Psh, you _love_ us."

"Uh-huh."

Tyson stuck out his tongue. "And anyway, I'm sure Grandpa can put forth the money for you to go to school. He must have enough if we can keep the dojo."

I shook my head. "I wouldn't be able to accept it. I already feel like a burden by staying there."

Tyson waved his hand as if dismissing her words. "Don't worry about it, I already told you Grandpa doesn't mind when I have company."

"So why are you spending your time cooped up in here with us when you could be outside at the river or watching kids blade or something?" Tala suddenly asked, grabbing my attention.

I turned to look at him only to laugh. In his boredom he was raising and lowering the bottom half of his bed with the remote at different speeds and intervals. "Because every time I take a step out of this building or the dojo I get swarmed by these strange men asking if I want to be the female poster child for the BBA."

"….And that's a problem?" Tala asked while lifting his eyebrows.

"Yeah! You'd have your face everywhere!" Tyson said with stars in his eyes. "On t-shirts and coffee mugs and lunchboxes and everyone would look up to you and want your autograph and want to _be_ you and—_oof_!" Tyson grunted as a pillow came sailing out of nowhere and hit him in the face. "What the—_Kai_!" He growled in mock frustration in Kai's direction just in time to see the smirk on Kai's face. "You could've told me to shut up."

Kai's smirk got larger. "This was more fun."

"Kai, don't be so mean," I admonished while wagging my finger at him. He shook his head a little while he grabbed the remote and turned on the TV. He changed the channel to a news station and leaned back against the pillows, immediately getting engrossed in the story.

A few minutes later there was a knock on the door of the hospital room door. Then the knob twisted and the door was pushed open. The first thing we saw as a bunch of balloons. As soon as they floated towards the ceiling Max's face was revealed. He walked into the room quickly followed by Ray, Daichi, Kenny, Hilary, Grandpa Granger, and Mr. Dickenson.

"Hey guys, what're you doing here?" Tyson asked, cocking his head to the side in confusion. "And what's with the balloons?"

"We thought we'd lighten up the place," Hilary replied with a smile. "It's looking very drab in here."

"How're you boys feeling?" Mr. Dickenson addressed Tyson, Kai, and Tala. They uttered different responses which caused him to chuckle and pinch on the end of his moustache. "Well, that's good to hear. Now, I have important news for you all. As we rebuild the BBA we decided to properly close this recent tournament in such a way that we're sure everyone will enjoy."

"Do you know what he's talking about?" Tyson asked me.

I shrugged. "I have no idea."

"The BBA would like to host its first annual Beyblade Ball," Mr. Dickenson. "It will be a time for all of the teams in the tournament to get together and celebrate the sport of beyblading. Also, I'd like to use it as a time for the Bladebreakers to hold a sort of press conference with the media to discuss their future plans in the sport, as a team, and individually. We'd also use the event to raise money to aid local children hospital's under the name of the Bladebreakers."

The room was silent as soon as his announcement was made. Tyson then made retching sounds, Hilary gasped in excitement, Max smiled, and the rest of the boys had apprehensive looks on their faces, save for Kai who's expression didn't change at all.

"What's a Ball?" I ventured to ask, breaking the silence.

"It's a formal dance where everyone dresses up!" Hilary gushed, her eyes sparkling in excitement. "Men wear tuxedos and coats and ties and women wear really elegant gowns and they dance the night away in the most beautiful ballroom!"

I pulled a face. "Ugh. I have to wear a _dress_?"

"That'll be a sight," Tyson snickered.

I rounded on him and glared. "What's_ that_ supposed to mean?" I snarled.

Mr. Dickenson let out a hearty laugh. "Now now, kids. There will be plenty of time to get ready for the Ball. It's not scheduled to occur until the end of next week. Now, I must let you boys know…" he added, taking the time to look at each other Bladebreakers before continuing, "…that it is highly recommended that you attend with a date."

Tyson's smile disappeared as soon as mine reappeared and I started laughing in his face. "Wh….why? Why, Mr. Dickenson?" Tyson stammered. "Why do we need to bring someone with us? Can't we just…blade all night?"

"It'll do well for your image," Hilary said with a laugh.

"Waddya mean, Hils?"

"I mean you five have been around each other for three years. I'm surprised that people haven't thought you each were involved with each other yet," she giggled with a mischevious gleam in her eye.

"Didn't need to hear that, Hilary," Ray said in monotone as Hilary flashed him an apologetic smile.

"As I've stated before, you have a week to figure this entire thing out," Mr. Dickenson laughed. Then he looked at me with a kind smile. "Now, Crystal, as I've been told there's something you'd like to tell these boys."

"Yes, that's right Mr. Dickenson," I said with a nod, instantly grabbing everyone's attention.

"Huh? You've been keeping a secret from us?" Max asked.

"Kind of," I replied. "Kai knows why I'm here. Ray and the White Tigers know why I'm here, but that's only part of the reason." I took in a breath and let it out slowly. "I have yet to tell you all the full story."


	30. Chapter 30

**Thirty**

"Okay, where to start," I mumbled, looking around the room but not at anyone else. This had to be handled delicately but trying to find the best place to start I feared would be the hardest part. I didn't want to leave anything out but I felt the strange urge to jump all over the place until everything fit.

"The beginning's usually the best place," Tala commented somewhat sardonically.

I stuck my tongue out at him before tilting my head slightly to tug at my ponytail, my nervous habit. "Okay, you all know the story of the four Sacred Spirits by now, I'm guessing," I said slowly, gauging their reactions. "As you know there are four Gods that each protects a part of Kyoto. They're also associated with the seasons and certain elements. There's the Azure Dragon, Seiryu, representing Spring and Wood to the East; the Vermillion Bird, Suzaku, representing Summer and Fire to the South, the White Tiger, Byakko, representing Autumn and Metal/Gold to the West; and the Black Turtle, Genbu, representing Winter and Water to the North. They—"

"Hey, that sounds like their bitbeasts!" Daichi interrupted boisterously while jabbing his finger in Tyson's direction.

I smiled patiently. "That's the point, Daichi," I told him calmly. "Seiryuu is Dragoon, Suzaku is Dranzer, Byakko is Driger, and Genbu is Draciel. They're the Sacred Spirits and among the most powerful spirits in the world. But you can also add in the Yellow Dragon, Koryu, representing the changing of the Season and Earth, he's at the center of it all."

"Like my Strata Dragoon!" Daichi said happily while digging into his pocket and shoving his purple beyblade into my face.

"Right, like Strata Dragoon," I agreed while pushing his hands out of my face. "With those four or five spirits—depending on if you prefer Japanese or Chinese legends—they kept the world balanced and at peace. Being the strongest, and being that you four own them, it's no surprise that you're a walking talking target for the spirits. If fallen in the wrong hands, it could be devastating to the world."

"What does any of that have anything to do with you?" Hilary asked bluntly.

"I'm getting there," I replied, noticing how anxious the others were getting. "Anyway, as you know, Driger was passed down to Ray from the Elder of our village. The White Tiger isn't only what our village is named after, but it's a sort of…way of life. The White Tiger is our protector. It's why the White Tiger bit is passed down to those who their predecessor feels is worthy enough…pure enough to honor him and our home. The thing is, our village prays to two different Gods, two different White Tigers: The White Tiger of the Moon and the White Tiger of the Sun. Yin and yang if you will. Driger is the White Tiger of the Sun, or yang. Yang is characterized as fast, hard, solid, focused, hot, dry, and aggressive while it's associated with fire, sky, the sun, masculinity, and daytime. Which means the White Tiger of the Moon, is yin. The White Tiger of the Moon is—"

"Dricen," Kenny interrupted me. I smiled and nodded at him while the others turned to look at him. His mouth was slightly parted and, if his hair weren't so long, I'd guess he had a look of astonishment on his face.

"Wait," Tyson said holding his finger up. "Driger…Dricen…the names sound the same. I always thought that was a coincidence," he said while scratching his head.

"Hmm, and they just so happen to come from the same village, Ty? That'd be a heck of a coincidence," Max pointed out. Mr. Dickenson and Grandpa Granger, who were sitting in chairs near the back of the room chuckled quietly as a disgruntled look came across Tyson's face and he crossed his arms over his chest.

"As I was saying, yang is characterized as slow, soft, yielding, diffuse, cold, wet, and passive; and is associated with water, earth, the moon, femininity and nighttime," I continued, scratching behind my ear. I glanced at Ray to see what his reaction would be but he sat still in his seat, staring at me intently. I shifted my gaze away from him and could practically feel his golden eyes burning holes in the side of my face. "Dricen was passed down to me from my family instead of through the Elder of the village because Dricen is different. As you all know, he's not part of the five Sacred Spirit Guardians. Legend has it that Byakko split his soul in half, so if something were to happen there would be another of him to protect his portion of the land.

"That's where Dricen comes in, as well as Boris and Voltaire. As seen in folklore dragons and tigers are always fighting. That's because it's speculated that that tigers and dragons have eternal rivalries. It's been said, since ancient times, the dragon has been the only beast that could stand equal to the tiger," I explained, looking around to make sure that no one was lost in my explanation. The storytelling was needed; it got me here, where I could finally explain everything without having to look over my shoulder. "Voltaire, though an evil man, is smart, and probably has heard of that statement before. He most likely knew of Dragoon and the rest and knew that it couldn't be Driger that was Dragoon's rival seeing as the four Sacred Spirits work together to protect the world. So, it'd have to be Dricen."

"And because of that he and Boris came to the village looking for your bitbeast," Ray summed up for me, finally speaking up. It was so suddenly that I jumped a little from my position on the edge of Tyson's hospital bed.

"My grandfather's the reason your parents are dead," Kai spoke up. I couldn't tell if he was making a statement or asking a question. His eyes remained glued to the ceiling but the look of disdain in his eyes seemed to intensify the longer he looked at the ceiling.

"It would seem so," I agreed. "But I don't blame you," I quickly added just to clear the air. I knew he didn't have anything to do with it, he'd be merely a kid himself but he blamed himself for his father leaving, who knew what else he blamed himself for. "So, after that, I got banished as you all know. On my way out I was captured by Boris and Voltaire. Seems they were waiting for me to be alone before they tried anything. The next thing I knew I was moved to Russia and kept at the Abbey. At the time it was run under the guise of a homeless shelter but I knew better. I stayed there for…a day, a day and a half before I managed to escape. I've been on the run from Boris ever since."

"…How powerful is Dricen for them to chase you around the world for years? I imagine it's why you haven't entered yourself in any tournaments, I'd imagine," Kenny spoke up.

"I didn't enter for fear that they'd find me easily, yes, but I also didn't enter because I never saw the point. All you get out of tournaments, I think, is glory or fame. If your opponents don't leave you with a challenge and you can blast your way to the top, what's the point?" I asked giving a little shrug. "Anyway, I think what they were after was a bitbeast to control that could rival Dragoon's power based on those legends. They never took into consideration what being equal actually meant."

"What does it mean?" Max asked.

"That, I don't know yet, but I know that Dricen's power doesn't match Dragoon's," I replied. "Especially now. If it did I'd be able to defeat a handful of people that have beaten me, Tyson included." I lightly slapped Tyson's knee when he made a scoffing sound at my last statement.

"And what does Kai's father have anything to do with it?" Ray asked.

"Ah, yes, Kai's father I met on the street one day while I was here in Japan, this was after your first tournament. He took pity on me and gave me a place to wash up and get something to eat. We eventually talked about beyblading and it was then I realized who he was. Kai's father is a beyblade engineer, a very worldly known one might I add. He had heard about Black Dranzer and enlisted me with the task of delivering a letter and making sure that Kai never used Black Dranzer again.

"So, _extremely_ long story short, I'm here not only to do what Kai's father asked of me but also to find an answer to my question. It's the only reason I've stayed this long. Well, that and you weirdoes have grown on me," I said, chuckling after my last statement. "Otherwise I would've ducked out as soon as BEGA came around but I figured it was time to stop running and to face my problem head on or else I'd be running to the ends of the Earth to protect Dricen."

I let out a long sigh and rolled my shoulders. Surprisingly it felt like a gigantic weight had been lifted from them. No one said anything for a while. Hilary looked as if she were still trying to process the information given to her, Ray looked as if he were meditating, Tyson looked as if he had too much information crammed in his head, the smile that never seemed to leave Max's face faded, Daichi's head was tilted so far I thought it'd fall off his shoulders, and Tala and Kai were talking quietly to each other.

"Wow," was all Tyson finally uttered.

* * *

_A/N: Short, sweet, and to the point. Originally I was going to add scenes after Tyson said "wow" but it felt forced and I couldn't get it out right so I left it here. The story of the four guardians is true, however, the story that Byakko split his soul is something I made up to fit the story. I hope it all makes sense, don't hesitate to message me if I need to clear things up. Peace._

_~C.M._


	31. Chapter 31

**Thirty-One**

"Oh no!"

I jumped up from the chair and ran into the kitchen. I saw a small stream of gray smoke billowing out of the oven. Remembering to grab an oven mitt, I yanked the door down only to start choking on the smoke. I waved my hand in front of my face to clear my lungs of the smoke and reached into the warm oven.

I grasped the end of the pan and pulled it out, dropping it onto the stovetop. I waved at the surface of the now charred substance and frowned. What was supposed to look like a cake now looked like a large, burnt, hockey puck.

"Ugh, even _Tyson_ won't eat this," I sigh and shake my head. Why was it so hard for me to make desserts? Why couldn't I focus? I just wanted to make something for the boys when they got out of the hospital but, of course, it didn't work out the way I wanted it to.

"Whoa, what's _that_ supposed to be?" Julia's amused voice reached my ears. I turned away from the stove while placing my hands on my hips to glare at her. The smirk on her lipstick painted lipsgot bigger as soon as she saw my glare. "A hockey puck?"

"Do you want me to throw it at you and find out?" I shot back.

"Now girls, now's not the time for arguing," Mathilda stepped in. Always the peacemaker. I grumbled under my breath as I took a look at the girls clothing. It suddenly hit me that they were all dressed more casual than usual. Emily was even wearing a nicer shirt and not one of her tennis shirts. She looked at the stove and made a face but quickly hid it with one of her kind smiles. "Um, what _were_ you trying to make?"

"A cake," I replied, glaring at the still smoking burnt piece of crap. "With Ray and Max and Daichi and Kenny at the hospital with Tyson, Tala, and Kai I figured I'd take the time to make them a cake to cheer them up. Well, cheer Tala and Kai up more than Tyson. They're the ones stuck with him. Tyson sees it as a vacation."

"Which they deserve, they've all worked so hard," Mariah said while pushing a strand of her hot pink hair behind her ear. I grunted at her statement. What was I, chopped liver? I did help, though, admittedly I knew I didn't do nearly as much work as they did. Her golden eyes shifted over to me and she flushed, quickly adding me at the end of her previous statement.

I let out a very loud sigh. I was getting tired of this routine. Ever since I told them all why I was here two days ago they've been walking on eggshells around me. As if I were going to call Boris down here and attack them if they said anything wrong. "Are you going somewhere?" I finally asked. The sudden grins on their faces instantly made me suspicious. Then it clicked in my head. "Oh no…" I groaned.

"Crys, come on! This is your one chance to getting dressed up to the nines!" Hilary gushed, moving to my side and grabbing my arm. "This is like our Prom!"

I wrinkled my nose. "What's a Prom?" I asked.

She groaned and threw her arms into the air. Well, excuse _me_ for not having a proper education! "Prom is this really big dance that is held in high schools around the world. It's a rite of passage for girls. It turns us into women. It's _our_ night! Well, so's our wedding, but still."

"I just don't see what the big deal about this whole thing is," I replied, scratching behind my ear. "I'm probably not even going to go."

"You're not going to ask anyone?" Mariah gasped. I'm surprised that she didn't suck all of the oxygenout of the room with that intake of breath.

"No, I don't plan on it because I don't plan on going," I replied.

"_What?_!" They cried out in unison. Their screams were so loud that I had to clutch my chest to make sure my heart was still there.

"You _have_ to go!" Mathilda insisted. "You…you helped them defeat BEGA. You're practically a Bladebreaker yourself."

"Look, I don't want to waste a night of my life wearing a dress that I'm going to wear once talking to people I don't care about or won't remember and dance to horrible Top 40 music," I said and shrugged. "Tell me one good thing about going."

"You can beyblade if you're not in the mood to dance and you can get to know new bladers and learn new blading styles from them that you wouldn't learn if you don't go," Hilary replied with a devilish smirk sitting on her lips. Of course she'd go at it at that angle. It was a secret that I went into beyblading at a learning level. I bladed not only so I could make my parents and my village proud but so I could learn new tricks and about the cultures that the world had to offer.

"We can go shopping and you can get a dress and if you decide you don't want to go that's fine. We just want you to come with us," Mathilda said enthusiastically.

I sighed. "You're not going to leave me alone until I go are you?" I asked.

"Nope, so get your shoes on, girlie!" Julia replied.

"Well, it's that, and Grandpa is afraid you're going to burn his house while trying to do something nice for Tyson," Hilary admitted. At my shocked look she quickly added, "He thanks you for your good intentions, though."

"Hmmph, well if he's so concerned I'll let _you_ cook for them and see how he likes it," I grumbled and then cackled at the glare that Hilary shot my way.

* * *

Now, there were two good reasons that I didn't want to go dress shopping with the other girls. The first being that I can't stand dresses. Or skirts. Or anything girly, really. I didn't like how dresses and skirts prevented you from being able to run or dance or anything normal that one can do in pants or shorts. And you can't breathe. All just so you can look good for about three hours? No thank you.

The second reason was from lack of privacy. As soon as the BEGA Tournament finished Tyson's dojo had been surrounded by news reports and magazine journalists just so they could get information on me. I could hardly get out of the place to get the newspaper in the morning for them. Things got even worse when, for some reason, I appeared on the front page of the beyblading section of the newspaper. Since then I've been stared at, whispered about, and pointed at to the point I was perfectly content with the idea of bending their fingers back until it broke.

"Crys, stop being such a Negative Nancy and come pick out a dress," Julia ordered from a rack of long pastel colored dresses. "Look, even _Emily's_ getting into it," she added, jerking her thumb in the tennis star's direction where she and Mathilda were looking at dresses with a gauze-like bottom.

"But they're all so…_ugly_," I replied with a wrinkled nose. "And so…form fitting. Do they have to be so freakin' tight?" I looked at the dresses in rainbow colors with disgust. Bows, sequins, glitter, straps, taffeta, and flower print stared back at me with each and every turn of my head.

"It's to show off our figures, silly," Mariah said as she stepped out of the dressing room in a 'ta-da!' fashion. She spun around on the spot, the bottom of her dress flaring, and then struck a pose. "Well, what do you guys think?" She asked.

While Julia and Hilary whistled and cheered their praises while Mathilda, Emily, and I remained silent, noticing what assets Mariah was flaunting in her dress that the three of us couldn't pull off. Her dress was hot pink (of course) with one strap going over the left shoulder, decorated in what looked like little flowers. It stopped at about knees and had random sparkles in it that caught the light. She turned around to show us the back. The strap moved over her left shoulder and one part branched off to move under her arm and connect to one side of the dress while another strap ran across her shoulder blades and wrapped around to the side of her dress, leaving a large diamond on her back to expose her skin.

I could feel my lips twitching but they couldn't decide if they wanted to make a face of disgust or to frown. Not at Mariah and not at the dress but at Mariah _in_ the dress. It was then I realized I wanted to frown and make a face of disgust at what I was _feeling_ for seeing her in the dress, not at her. The feeling was…weird. It easily took me over and made me want to punch something. I didn't get that feeling a lot but it made me ill.

"Are you trying to set the place on fire?" Hilary joked as Mariah admired herself in the mirror.

"Or someone's loins," Julia cracked. Mariah swatted at Julia's arm and then smoothed down the fabric.

"You think he'll like it?" She asked quietly. None of us had to know which 'he' she was referring to.

"I think his jaw'll drop to the floor," Julia replied with a wink. "So, are you going to wait for Ray to ask you to the Ball or are you going to ask him?" She demanded crossing her arms over her chest.

Mariah bit her lip. "I don't know," she said softly. "What if he says no?"

"He'll have to answer to _me_ if he says no," Julia replied confidently. "And I'm sure he won't say no. If he did, he'd regret it after he sees you in this dress hanging off of someone else's arm." She paused and added, "Besides, he's a boy. He probably won't know that you want him to ask you so you might as well do it yourself."

"So who're you asking, then?" I asked Julia while slouching in my chair. In the corner of my eye I could see one of the workers hovering around a rack of dresses near us, keeping her eyes on us. "Your brother?" I ventured.

"Ha ha, no," Julia replied with a roll of her eyes. "I don't need to go with anyone."

"And what makes you so special?"

"Come on, who'd be able to handle _me_?" She asked with a lift of her eyebrow. I nodded. She had a point. She was very loud and opinionated and she'd need to go with someone who was the same way.

"Lee," I stated, snapping my fingers. "You're both hot-headed and stubborn, you could go with him."

"Or _you_ could considering you're already betrothed," Julia shot back.

I stuck my tongue out at her. "Point taken."

We turned our attention to Emily who had come out of the dressing room in a green dress that reminded me of a tennis dress but more fancy. Mathilda came out next in a pastel purple dress with extra fabric attached to the back that reminded me of wings. Simple and cute was perfect on her.

"Okay, three down, two more to go," Julia said while clasping her hands together.

"Wait, what about you?" I asked.

"I have a dress waiting for me. Romero's making us a custom dress and suit that has some Spanish flair," Julia replied with a wave of her hand. "Now, you two," she pointed at Hilary and me, "Need to get your butts in that dressing room."

"Hilary, who are you going to ask? Tyson or Kai?" Mariah asked as she stepped back into the dressing room and closed the door behind her so the only thing that was visible is her feet.

Hilary let out a very long sigh. "I don't know, I feel like if I asked either of them they'd laugh at me," she replied, twisting the fabric of one dress that was in her hands.

"Kai wouldn't laugh at you," I told her. I paused and added as a sort of afterthought, "Out loud, at least."

"Crys!" The other girls scolded me.

"What?" I asked, widening my eyes. "Besides, I don't think Tyson'd laugh. He'd probably be in shock that someone took the time to ask him to a dance of any form. Tell me when the last time—or the first time for that matter—that he had a date."

"Um, never," Hilary replied, pausing a beat.

"Exactly. He'd go if you asked him—assuming no one asks you first," I stated.

"You're stalling," Julia pointed out, getting close to my face. "The faster you find a dress the faster you'll get out of here." Before I could even prepare myself she grabbed me by my upper arm and dragged me over to a mirror. Instinctively I crossed my arms over my chest. I felt…safer having my arms crossed. So I could deflect anything that was thrown my way. "I think you'll look good in a strapless dress," Julia said while tapping her chin. "You and Hilary."

"You're not going to wear your hair like that, are you?" Mariah asked, stepping up behind me.

"What's wrong with it?" I automatically bristled. I took a look at my high ponytail in the mirror and how the black part of my hair and the blue part mixed together.

"You wear your hair up all the time, do something special with it—wear it down," she replied. Before I could move she grabbed at the scrunchie that sat in my hair and pulled it until my hair fell down and out of its ponytail.

"Wow," Mathilda whistled. "You have long hair."

"It's a custom in the village to not cut your hair," Mariah explained. "It's like a symbol of someone's journey in life."

"Hmm, I don't think a bright dress will go with that hair," Julia said. "Mariah, Emily, go look for something dark. Mathilda, go search for some heels. I'll take care of the makeup."

I blanched.

* * *

The boys' head turned as soon as I slid open the door of the hospital room and trudged in, sliding it shut behind me. Max, Ray, Daichi, and Kenny were playing cards. Tyson's arm was frozen, holding the remote up to the TV. Kai was still looking at the ceiling (was he dead or something?) and Tala wasn't in his bed.

"Where's…?" I asked, pointing at Tala's empty bed.

"He's getting checked out by some doctors," Kenny replied.

"What happened to your face?" Tyson blurted out, pointing at me.

"Yeah, you look like you get hit with a wet oil painting," Daichi added, grinning. I made a face, highly unamused by his antics. He always had to try and one up Tyson no matter what the situation was.

I reached my hand up to my face and felt around until I noticed that my eyelashes were unusually thick. Oh. "Its makeup," I replied, rubbing furiously at my eye to get the black stuff off. Ray grabbed a few tissues by Kai's bed and handed them to me. I nodded my thanks and then wiped the rest of the makeup off. I made a face while crumpling the tissues in my fist and sighed. "I've been at the mall with the girls for _hours_. I was starting to go crazy."

"Starting?" Tyson asked.

"Watch it, Ty, I could slip a few of my cookies into your dessert one day," I threatened him. He frowned and actually looked horrified at the thought. "Anyway, I got a call that Mr. Dickenson wanted me here. Said it was important. Whichever one of you lied to get me here saved my butt, I owe you."

"We didn't call Mr. Dickenson, he must have good timing, though," Tyson replied. "So you got a dress?" A goofy grin spread across his face. "Model it for us."

"Yeah, no," I replied, moving to sit on the end of his bed. "None of you are ever going to see me in that thing."

"Crys, you can't show up to the ball in the nude," Ray said slowly as if he were speaking to a little kid.

"That'd be a head-turner," Kai commented. I faltered slightly. I wasn't used to Kai actually _joking_. Apparently neither was the others for they turned to look at him as well. He lowered his head and I saw a hint of a smirk on his lips.

"Ha ha, you're so funny," I laughed sarcastically. I rolled my eyes and leaned back against the wall, resting my palms on my stomach. "No, I mean I haven't decided if I want to go yet or not?"

"Ah, can't find a date?" Daichi asked.

"What in the world does me not having a date yet have anything to do with me not wanting to go, Monkey Boy?" I growled through clenched teeth. Usually I was good with kids but Daichi knew where my buttons were and he always knew how to push them.

He shrugged. "I don't know, it's some girl thing."

"If you haven't noticed I'm not exactly the girliest girl on the planet," I commented.

"Oh don't worry, we accept you for who you are anyway," Ray said in a patronizing tone as he patted my knee. I stuck my tongue out at him. Of all the retorts and comebacks I had stored in my brain I stick my tongue out at him. Ray was apparently effecting my brain and not in a good way.

"Have you guys asked anyone yet?" I asked them. I got a chorus of 'no's. "Take it from me, don't wait too long if you're going to ask someone. They're going to start wondering what's wrong with them that a boy hasn't asked yet and they'll pull themselves down into a depression that could've easily been avoided."

"Who can we ask?" Max finally spoke up before grinning as he put a card down.

"The usual suspects, I suppose," I said with a shrug. "Oh, but Mathilda's going with Miguel so don't ask her. And Emily might go with Michael but don't quote me on that. But you have, like, five days."

"No pressure," Max joked.

"Oh, you wish," I replied with a little laugh.

Just then there was a knock on the door and Mr. Dickenson came into the room with a large smile on his face. Well, as large as one could see from underneath his large beard. We all greeted him happily for he was the only one who gave us news about what was going on in the 'blading world that we couldn't find out from newspapers and magazines.

"Hey Mr. Dickenson, what brings you here at this time of night?" Tyson asked eagerly. "Any news on a new tournament?"

"We just _had_ one, Ty, relax a bit first," Max laughed. "You'd 'blade yourself into oblivion if given the chance."

"Can we let him have that chance?" Kai asked.

Tyson threw his pillow at Kai. It bounced harmlessly off of his chest and fell onto his lap. Kai blinked and his eyebrow crinkled ever so slightly to show the annoyance that had to be beneath the surface.

"Why is it that you wanted me to come, Mr. Dickenson?" I asked. "Not that I'm not happy you called. You got me out of the worst torture of my life."

Mr. Dickenson chuckled, "Well, I'm glad to be of help. I've brought you here because I've been discussing something with the boys and—well, I'll have them tell you about it."

My eyebrows crinkled at his tone and I immediately tensed, waiting for what they were going to say. I couldn't figure it out, no matter how hard I looked at the knowing looks in their eyes. It bugged the crap out of me, them knowing something that I didn't. It was like being in a room with people that were talking about you and wanted you to know they were talking about you but not what they were saying.

Tyson started to bounce excitedly where he was sitting. "The guys and I were talking about what had happened in the past couple of weeks—with the BEGA tournament and everything— and how you managed to help us out of a few tight spots and you felt comfortable around us to tell us about your mission of sorts and—" Tyson rambled.

"What Tyson is trying to say, in a less eloquent way, is that you've proven yourself to be a very strong, level-headed, and passionate about beyblading," Kenny said while lifting a finger into the air. "This is a very good combination to be found in a beyblader and we feel that a 'blader such as yourself would be best to have as an ally. So, we would like to extend an invitation to you to join the Bladebreakers team."

I blinked. Once. Twice. Three times. My brain didn't want to seem to process the information. I've only been here, what, a few months and they're asking me to join their team? I've hardly done anything worthwhile to even be _considered_ on the team. Well, sure, I did help with the whole heavy metal system thing and help beat BEGA but…_still_.

"I'm sorry, I don't think I understood you, Kenny, with those big words you like to toss around," I said while waving my hand in a dismissing way. "Did you just say you guys want me on your team?"

"Yes," Max, Ray, and Tyson all replied in unison.

"But…why?" I asked slowly.

"Like Chief just said: you're strong, you're level-headed, and you obviously love beyblading. Not to mention you trusted us enough to tell us about your past and you helped us out when you didn't have to," Max replied, counting off his fingers. "You bring something to the team that none of us have."

"Why are you asking me and not…" I paused when I looked in Daichi's direction and then made a face. "Actually, that kind of makes sense."

"_Hey_!" Daichi cried out in protest.

"I can't help but notice you're not exactly enthused," Ray pointed out.

"Well, I mean, you're asking me to be a part of a Championship team that blades in tournaments. I don't like tournaments." I shook my head and let out a sigh. Rubbing my sweaty palms against my knees I licked my lips, thinking of a good way to explain myself. Finally I dropped my eyes from the ceiling and continued my explanation. "I don't like the idea that...just because a 'blader might be having an off day, they lose the chance of being a champion. Kust because they made a small mistake. Yes, others can be _really_ good but skill and power doesn't always mean they're better than their opponent."

"You have a valid point, but it's also a very good learning experience and I think, being on our team, you'd go far. And it's not like it's a binding contract. Even though I'm a Bladebreaker I'm a White Tiger as well. Just like Max is an All Star and Kai's a Blitzkrieg Boy."

"Besides, it's really saying something when Tyson wants a girl on the team," Max added with a laugh. "He was dead set against Hilary when she first helped us out."

"She was being so bossy!" Tyson cried out, throwing her arms into the air. "She knew nothing about the sport, still doesn't most of them time—not like you, Crys."

"You're doing an amazing job at convincing me, Ty," I said calmly, although I attached an eyeroll to my statement to signify that I was being sarcastic. The comment obviously flew right over his head for he beamed.

"Well, if it'll convince you to join, even _Kai_ wants you on the team," Max said with that sweet smile of his.

I wanted to start laughing at that comment. Surely it couldn't be true. He's the one who wanted me to _leave_ when he first came back. There was no way he wanted me to be on the team with them. But when I looked over at him I locked eyes with him and his lips turned up ever so slightly in the corners. So slightly I was sure that I was imagining it.

_Holy crap, is Kai actually smiling!?_

I sighed. "Well, okay, if you guys are sure," I replied.

"Don't sound so excited," Ray teased.

"Well, I'm not going to jump for joy. I'm not _that_ excited I'm going to be stuck with you boys for the rest of my 'blading life. I can only take so much testosterone at one time," I said with a little smirk. "How does Hilary survive?"

"By yelling," Tyson filled in for me.

"Tyson, just ask her to the Ball already," I said and lightly punched his knee.

He pressed his lips together and tried to make a look of annoyance but it was off put by the blush that crept up his cheeks.

* * *

_A/N: Here's the next one, I hope you all liked it. Please tell me what you thought about them asking her to be on the team. I've read many stories where OCs were automatically forced onto the team and, while I had this idea for a while, I wanted it to stand out and I thought it would be more realistic if she proved her worth to be on the team instead of being forced on it for the rules or they were related to a member or something._

_The next chapter and (maybe) the one after that will deal with the Ball in it's entirety—getting the tuxes/dresses, reservations, the press conference, the ball itself, and, of course, the drama that would come along with it._

_Big thanks to Jupsi for her reviews and pointing out times where I should go back and clear up grammar and spelling mistakes. I hope you're enjoying the story as well._

_~C.M._


	32. Chapter 32

**Thirty-Two**

This Beyblade Ball thing sucks and we haven't even had it yet. For the past few days I've been interrogated by the girls wondering who I'd attend the ball with. It didn't help that, now since I was officially a Bladebreaker, that I _had_ to have a date. I didn't even think about that when I agreed to join the team and now I was feeling the pressure. It didn't help that Mariah had been walking around with a jack-o-lantern grin ever since Ray asked her. Lee wasn't too happy about it at first but he got over it when he saw how happy Mariah was.

That coupled with the fact that I woke up with _the_ biggest zit in the middle of my forehead made me want to stay hidden in Tyson's guest room for as long as possible. Or until the end of the Ball, whichever came first.

"Oh come on, it's not that bad," Max commented while leaning forward to look at my forehead.

I scoffed and adjusted my bangs so they hid my forehead and partially covered the line of sight in my right eye. Note to self: find a way to hide Mt. Vesuvius without going blind. "Easy for _you_ to say," I grumbled. "You don't have anything on your face aside from your freckles."

"Crys, I wouldn't have noticed it if you didn't point it out to me," Max laughed. "Relax, you're making it a bigger deal than it needs to be."

"Coming from the guy with perfect skin," I grumbled. He grasped the couch pillow and playfully bopped me over the head with it. "I just wish this whole thing were over with. The idea of having to go with someone is so daunting. Now I wish you had asked me instead of leaving me to worry about this."

Max gave a half smile in response. "I would have but after the way everyone blew me asking you out out of proportion I didn't want to risk them messing the Ball up for us too. I was only looking out for you."

"Such a gentleman," I said with a roll of my eyes. "So who're you going with? I'm sure you've found someone to ask by now."

"Maybe," he replied in a mysterious tone while rocking back and forth a little.

"Ah, so must really like this girl if you're not being up front about it, even with _me_," I noted. "She must be special."

"That's none of your business," Max replied with a little laugh. "We're talking about you, remember? It can't be too hard to find someone you want to go with."

"Considering I can't stand most of the people here, it's hard," I replied. "Besides the fact that I don't know that many people to begin with."

"You could ask Tyson."

"Nah, I know he's going to ask Hilary if she doesn't beat him to it because she'd be annoyed of waiting for him to do it," I replied.

"Maybe someone from the other teams? Raul?"

I gave a little laugh and then covered my mouth. "I don't mean to laugh at him, he's a sweet guy and all but he's so quiet when he's not with Julia that I don't think we'd be able to hold a conversation." I paused and pointed at him, jumping in to add, "Don't even think about suggesting Lee," before he could say anything.

"I wasn't going to," he replied, pushing my finger out of his face. "It's not like asking someone is asking to go on a date with them. It's just a night of fun for all of the bladers."

"Easy for you to say, you're a boy. This isn't like your Prom or whatever." I sighed and ran my fingers through my hair. "I just…want to go on a vacation or something. To an island so we can actually relax and not do anything and then I can give myself some more time before I decide what to do."

"That's not a bad idea," Max said as he rubbed his chin. "I'd love to go on vacation to Hawaii or the Bahamas or something. I want to go snorkeling." Then his eyes lit up. "Ray's birthday is coming up. We can go somewhere to celebrate his birthday. I'm sure he'd love it, he hasn't been to many places if he wasn't on a tournament circuit." He grinned and sat up straighter. "We have to do this for him! It'll be so great! We can arrange to go swimming with dolphins and to scuba dive and snorkel and take a boat out onto the ocean and go parasailing and—"

"Do you _want_ to kill off all of Ray's nine lives?" I asked, trying to keep a straight face but I couldn't hold it for long. Tyson was convinced that everyone of the White Tiger village was part cat somehow. While there were a lot of coincidences with us and the felines, I'll admit, it was completely crazy but very fun to joke about.

"You have to admit, he'd like to be able to relax and not worry about what's going on in the 'blading world and his team and his village back home," Max urged.

"That's right up his alley," I agreed, while rubbing his chin. Then something dawned on me. I sighed and pointed out, "We don't have the funds for it."

"We could…ask Kai," Max said really slowly.

Simultaneously we pulled a face at the idea. Kai was slowly coming around and opening himself up to the rest of us, and by slowly I mean as slow as molasses in a blizzard in Antarctica. He even seemed a little cheerful whenever we visited them at the hospital but I didn't know if that was because we were there in general or if it was because we'd distract Tyson from him. Either way it'd be hard to ask him to fund a trip for Ray without knowing how he'd react.

"I'll give it a shot," I said slowly. "Maybe I can get Hilary to come with me. There's no way he can be too harsh to us. Especially with my adorable face." I gave a big grin and shook my head a little, letting him know without so many words not to take me too seriously. "I'll ask after the big party. Speaking of which, is everything almost done? I got the girls to go and get decorations."

"Lee, Kevin, and Gary are making a cake," Max said and then gave me a sheepish smile. I rolled my eyes. You burn a few cakes and people won't let me live it down. They freak out even when I ask for the sugar to eat with my rice. "Grandpa is out getting paper lanterns for us to light later and Ray, Kenny, and Daichi are distracting them at the hospital."

"Well, we should get to cleaning then," I said as I looked around the messy living room. It's what happens whenever Daichi wakes up, he moves from room to room, whining and complaining that he was bored since Tyson was in the hospital. He was like the Tasmanian devil, no room was Daichi proof.

For the next couple of hours Max and I went from room to room making sure everything was spotless. Kevin, Gary, and Lee showed up with a cake and then went around the from yard helping Grandpa Granger hang different colored paper lanterns. The girls came back to the dojo and put up the rest of the decorations before congregating outside with the rest of us, helping us set up plates and utensils on the tables that were brought out.

"This looks great, guys!" I said as I stepped back to look at everything. The warm orange glow from the paper lanterns stretched across the tables which held a centerpiece of brightly colored flowers. Mathilda's idea, no doubt. By themselves they looked feminine but on the table it seemed to tie everything together. "Tyson, Kai, and Tala are going to love it. Now all we need are the guests of honor."

"I just called Ray at the hospital, they're on their way back," Hilary announced.

"Oh, speaking of Ray, Crystal and I came up with an idea," Max suddenly spoke up, lifting a finger I the air. "We were thinking of celebrating Ray's birthday in the Bahamas or something. Now that we finally have a break to relax."

"Oh, Max, that's a great idea!" Mariah gushed, clasping her hands together. "Ray would love it! He's always wanted to go to the beach!"

"Well, don't get too excited about it. Without money we can't go and—I don't know about you all—but I, for one, am broke," I replied with an arched eyebrow. The rest of the group made sounds of agreement.

"Maybe Mr. Dickenson would help," Hilary suggested.

"He already pays for our travel expenses and hotel accommodations, I'd feel horrible for asking him for money," Mathilda said as she twisted her hands together.

"But he likes Ray."

"Still, we don't want to drag him into it," Max jumped in. "So we were thinking of asking Kai for the money." That was met with a lot of blank stares mixed in with incredulous ones. "I know, it sounds far-fetched but we think he'd do it. He at least tolerates Ray if not likes him a little bit. Besides it won't hurt to ask."

"It just might," Lee quipped.

"We're just thinking about it, it's not finalized," I eased their minds. "But either way it's going to be a surprise so it should be kept a secret, _Kevin_."

He looked up from where he was about to drag his finger in the cake, his violet eyes wide. "Why'd you say _my_ name?"

"Because you can't keep a secret to save your life," I replied with a roll of my eyes. "I'm letting you know now if you say anything you'll suffer the consequences." Keeping the "consequences" vague was the only way to get a threat through to Kevin. It let his imagination run wild so his thoughts were usually worse than the consequence itself.

Kevin pressed his lips together and kept his mouth shut while we had our finishing touches on the decorations. Tyson and Kai returned to the dojo with Ray, Kenny, and Daichi a few minutes after we had brought the food out onto the tables in the backyard. Tyson practically dove onto the table to get to his food but was stopped by Hilary grabbing onto his collar.

"This dance will be very interesting if they go together," I commented quietly before taking my seat at the table. "Either Hilary will kill Tyson before the night is over or he'll surprise us all and be a gentleman."

"I'm betting you he's going to mess something up one way or another," Max said as he reached for a rice ball.

"And I'm betting you he won't," I replied with a lift of my eyebrows. "Ten bucks."

"You're broke. You won't be able to pay me when I win," Max said with a smirk. I gave a little laugh. Who knew sweet little Maxie could be so cocky.

"Don't you worry about me. _You're_ going to be the one handing over the money when _I_ win," I replied before holding out my hand. He grasped it and gave it a firm shake with a challenging spark in his eyes.

"Man, I can't wait to see everyone," Tyson suddenly gushed, dropping his utensils on his plate with a clatter that made everyone jump. Figures, the guy can't go a second without talking about beyblading or eating. I reached for my drink and took a sip as he continued voicing his enthusiasm about the rapidly approaching night. "And I'll bet the food will be amazing, catered by those fancy people. Awww, I can already taste it."

"Tyson, I think we'd all appreciate it if you didn't drool all over our food," Ray commented from where he was sitting,

"Speaking of the dance, Tyson…do you even know how to?" Max asked in curiosity. I cut my eyes at him but he gave an innocent smile in return so I kicked at his leg. He made a grunting sound but pressed his lips together.

Tyson wrinkled his nose. "What's there to know? Besides, I plan on blading the entire night."

"I'm sure your date would love to be ignored the entire night," Julia commented dryly before taking a sip of her drink. "Who would attend a Ball and not dance? It's a crazy idea, really."

"Ignore them, Tyson," I told him. "I can teach you."

"_You_ know how to dance?" Lee asked with a scoff. "Isn't that a bit too…feminine for you?"

"I'm sorry; I couldn't understand a word you just said. I don't speak caveman," I replied with enough bite in my tone for him to figure out that I didn't take his comment lightly. "Anyway, as I was saying, to save yourself from inevitable embarrassment I'll teach you the basics of dancing. It's not that hard, really."

"Ooh! Can you teach me?" Mariah asked enthusiastically. I looked at her to see that her eyes were practically shining as bright as diamonds at the very idea. She clasped her hands together and the smile on her face got wider, if possible. "I don't know how to either." Then she turned to Ray. "I'm sure it'd be fun," she told him while giving him a look that made me want to puke right then and there.

"I don't know how to dance either," Mathilda said quietly. "I'm sure it'll benefit us at such a formal setting." I glanced at her to see that she had a faraway look on her face and her cheeks were dusted a light rosy color. Oi vey, this whole Ball thing was going to kill me.

The next thing I knew Tyson was protesting loudly as Hilary tried to yank him out of his chair and back into the dojo for the impromptu dancing lessons that I was suddenly supposed to give. It's what I get for opening my big mouth. Teaching Tyson alone would've been fine but having to teach the others as well, especially Mariah, made me want to go and hide under a rock.

"Is that a look of defeat?" Max teased while elbowing me in the side as I stood to go into the dojo while the others milled about. The girls had rushed inside, obviously excited, but the guys were taking their time, talking quietly to each other. Kai and Tala sat at the furthest end of the table, not saying a word but taking sips of their tea here and there.

"No, it's a look of nausea," I corrected, putting a hand to my stomach for emphasis. "Teaching Tyson to dance, I would've been fine with that. But now that I have to teach Mathilda and Miguel and Emily and Michael and Mariah and Ray and—_ugh_. Makes me sick just even thinking about all the love."

"One dance hardly qualifies that they're all in love," Max pointed out.

"No but it'll inevitably lead up to it. Case 1: Hilary and Tyson. They love each other despite their act," I said as I held up my finger. "I can tell. They're just too stubborn to see it. Case 2:"—I lifted another finger—"Mathilda and Miguel. It's this...protective thing that he does that she likes about him or whatever." I lifted another finger. "Case 3: Mariah and Ray. Now, Mariah's been head over heels in love with the guy since she was four. You can see hearts in her eyes every time she talks to or about him. Ray, being the annoyingly sweet gentleman that he is, is either ignoring it or not giving her false hope. Either way, I have to watch those three be….intimate all because _you_ are trying to sabotage!"

"Hey, I'll take my ten bucks any way that I can," Max said with a wave of his hand.

"You are a diabolical person, Tate," I tried to as sternly but a smile was fighting to come to my lips. I gave a little sigh. Max and I would've easily worked out; I kinda wish the others hadn't gotten in the way. I love spending time with him and he always puts me in a good mood. But this was the way things had to be, I guess. "I'm coming, _I'm coming_!" I called over my shoulder at the giggling bunch of girls that were basically falling over themselves, yelling from outside the dojo. "Geeze," I sighed. "Oh, wait, Kai, I have to ask you something,"

"And that's our cue to leave," Kevin muttered, getting up from the table and walking off. The other boys gave him a sort of knowing look and followed suit, heading straight into the dojo.

I wrinkled my nose at the smiles that formed on some of their faces. Especially Tala's. It made him look almost sinister. I took Tala's seat and almost flinched under the look that Kai was giving me as I sat down. "So…how're you feeling?" I asked while pushing my bangs out of my face.

His eyebrow lifted ever so slightly, so little that I thought I had imagined it. His eyes moved around the yard for a couple of seconds before he let out a little sigh. "Cut the chit chat. What do you want?" He asked.

"Well then," I mumbled. "Okay, so…I don't really know how to ask out hi so…I'll just come right out and ask." I paused and looked down at my hands in my lap, mentally constructing the best way to ask Kai to fund our trip. When I looked up I noticed that he seemed a little tense. _Might as well get it over with. _"I was wondering if you…could…put forward some money for a trip we want to take." His expression didn't change so I continued on quickly. "Y'see, Ray's birthday is coming up and we—Max and I—thought it'd be a good idea to take him—and everyone—on vacation to Hawaii or something. Only we don't have enough money for it so…"

I trailed off and waited for his reaction. For the longest time he didn't say anything, he just stared at me. Finally he spoke, "…Yeah, whatever," he muttered.

I let out a sigh of relief and grinned. "Oh, thanks Kai! You won't regret it, I promise." My grin fell off my face when I noticed the way he was looking at me. "What?" I asked.

"Was that all you were going to ask me?"

I nodded rapidly. "Yes. Why?" He didn't respond, he just kept his mouth shut. I squinted my eyes slightly as I tried to read his face but it was a blank mask, as usual. I back tracked on what I said and it suddenly dawned on me what it sounded like I was planning on asking. I quickly weighed the options in my mind, coming to the quick conclusion that going with him would be a lot better than going with Lee or Gary. "Kai, do you want to go to the Ball with me?"

His finger began to tap rapidly. After a few seconds it stopped and he said, "I could think of someone worse to go with."

"That better be a 'yes'," I grumbled and then stuck my tongue out at the smirk that formed on his lips. "Wait, do you know how to dance?" I asked.

Kai's smirk got bigger. "I'm not Tyson."


	33. Chapter 33

** Thirty-Three**

"How come you're in here and not with the girls getting ready?" Lee asked as she started to tie his tie around his neck, but he was failing miserably. He turned to the mirror by his side and started adjusting his collar.

I peeked over the top of the magazine I was reading and made a snorting noise to keep from laughing out loud. He looked really out of place in his nice shirt and pants. He, and the rest of the White Tiger guys, had tried to get away with wearing their formal Chinese attire but Mariah put a stop to that right away. She made them all go out to the closest tuxedo rental yesterday and each get one for tonight. There was a lot of complaining, mainly from Kevin's end, and eventually Mariah had to bribe them to go with her village famous slow-cooked soup.

I glanced down at the magazine again as I flipped a page and almost threw it across the room when I saw my face in it. I closed it with a loud snap and made a face. Somehow word got out that I was a new Bladebreaker so now I was seeing my face _everywhere._ It's as if I'm not the poster child for female 'bladers or something. I tossed it onto the table near me and sighed, finally giving my attention to Lee to answer his question.

"Because it doesn't take me nearly as long as them to get ready and I'd rather not choke on perfume clouds," I replied. As soon as the girls woke up today they had all come over to Tyson's place and managed to lock themselves up in one of the spare rooms. They've been getting ready for this stupid Ball _all day._ It's ridiculous, it shouldn't take someone twelve plus hours to get into a dress, do their hair, and put on some makeup. But no, they had a _routine._

"What's perfume?" Kevin asked as she struggled with his tie. I grinned when I saw him. The little guy was so cute in his outfit and tiny shoes.

"Perfume is a cosmetic that girls spray on to smell good," I replied as I motioned for him to come over. Once he was close enough I reached out and fixed his tie for him.

"Oh," he responded simply. "Well, why don't you wear any?"

"'Cause they're ridiculously expensive and I'm broke," I replied. "'Sides, I think I smell just fine." I tightened his tight and then lightly patted his shoulder. I began to sit back down wen Gary and Ray came into the room, already dressed up. "What the hell happened to _him_?" I cried out when I saw Gary's attire. He would've looked fine if it weren't for his ripped sleeves.

"His shirt was a little too tight," Ray replied while rolling up his shirt sleeves.

"Ya think?" I responded sarcastically. "Gary, why wait until now to try it on?" I asked while rubbing my temples, fully expecting a stupid answer.

"I didn't need to wear it until now," Gary replied.

"Of course," I groaned at his male logic. "But, Gary, it was rented, right? You'll have to pay for the tear."

"Ah, we can let Mariah take care of it," Lee said with a wave of his hand.

I rolled my eyes. "You're a model brother," I stated sarcastically.

Lee made a face and then changed the subject. "So when're you going to tell us who your date is?" He asked before turning in the direction of the sudden peal of giggles. Giving the laughter my attention for a bit saved me some time. For the past two days Lee's been asking me every which way possible who I was going to the stupid Ball with. Usually he'd strike up a conversation and then edge his way into it but now he was going for the direct route.

"Never," I replied. "Though I'm surprised you haven't figured it out yet considering I don't know that many people."

"It's Mystel isn't it?" He suddenly demanded. I didn't even have time to react before he went on a tangent. "Oh, I knew it! That wise guy! He's always trying to get a rise out of me! And now that you're going to the ball with him—"

I glared and he stopped talking almost instantly. "FYI, it's not Mystel. And second of all, even if it were, he wouldn't ask me out just to get a 'rise' out of you. Believe it or not, not everything is about you. I could be that he asked me to the Ball because he liked me and wanted to get to know me better, but I guess something like that is impossible, right? And since it bugs you so much you should've asked me to go with you earlier. That's what this is about right?" I stood and placed my hands on my hips. Gary, Kevin, and Ray were trying to look at anything but us but it wasn't working out too well. "You feeling like I'm turning my back on you or something just 'cause I, as your supposed 'fiancée'"—I put finger quotes around the word—"is going to the Ball with someone else but you. You can be mad all you want but you might as well get over it 'cause I'm never going to marry you. Ever!"

Huffing, I shoved past him and stormed out of the room, my arms were crossed tightly over my chest. Whoever arranged for us to be together deserves a needle in the eye. There is no way in this world we'd work out.

"Hey, you're not dressed yet," Tyson pointed out as I entered the kitchen. He picked up an apple and took a large bite out of it, leaning his elbows on the counter. I I lifted my eyebrows at how well he cleaned up and every single hair seemed to be brushed down and in place. It didn't even look like he had been wearing a hat earlier.

"I've got an hour," I replied while glancing at the clock.

"Ugh. I've been in this suit for twenty minutes," Tyson grumbled. "I can't sit. I can't lean o something. I can't even eat." I silently pointed at his apple. "Less spillage," he explained. "Trust me, I'd rather not be eating this."

"Wanna battle me?" I asked as I bounced on my tip toes. "Dricen needs to stretch his legs."

"I can't," Tyson groaned.

I blinked. "Why not?"

He sighed again. "Hilary won't let me. She says that I can only blade at the designated blading time."

Well, this was news to me. I grinned. "Ty, did you ask her to the Ball?"

"Yes. Well, actually she demanded to know why I hadn't asked her and if I was ever going to so I did…just to get her to stop talking," he explained nonchalantly. I shook my head. "What?"

"You dug yourself into a hole," I replied. "You're going to be bossed around all night."

"Yeah, well, she does it during the day. What can a night hurt?"

"Famous last words…" I teased. Glancing at the clock again I figured I might as well get ready and get this whole night over with. As soon as I opened the door to the room that the girls were in I almost choked on the perfume that hung in the air.

"Well it's about time!" Mariah called out.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, date-o'-mine," I teased. I paused and looked at her attire then lifted an eyebrow at her pink theme. "Are you aiming to blind us all? 'Cause you succeeded," I mumbled, toning down the words that I had planned on uttering.

"You have a weird sense of compliments," Mariah said with a little laugh. "So, um do you think Ray will like it?" She asked, looking at her feet and blushing.

I ignored the clawing in my stomach. "He wouldn't say anything even if he didn't," I replied vaguely. I moved away from her and went over to my dress in fear that I'd say something I'd regret. I looked around at the girls and hesitated as I wondered if I should change in the bathroom instead. No doubt they'd make a bigger deal out of this than there should be.

"Crys, hurry up and change!" Julia said as she put her hands on her hips. She was wearing an amazing flamenco like dress, decked in a good amount of red and black fabrics. "We still need to put on your makeup and do your hair."

"Fine, fine," I sighed while turning away from them. When I was sure they weren't looking I quickly pulled my shirt up and over my head and then removed my chest bindings. I managed to get them off and slip my dress on over my head before they noticed anything. Not that chest binding was a huge deal but I didn't want to have to explain it. "Okay, I've changed. Are you ha—what the heck is that?" I stopped short and pointed at the footwear that was dangling off of Julia's finger.

"Heels," she replied simply with a large smirk.

"I'm not wearing those," I said as I shook my head. "I can't even walk in them."

"Tough toenails, you have to wear them," she replied, dropping them by my feet. "You're shorter than the rest of the boys already—minus Chief— and you're going to need the height in pictures and such. And imagine how it's going to look when you're dancing with your date and you're this low to the ground?" She held her finger and thumb close together before lifting her eyebrow. "I'm just saving you from embarrassment."

"Falling in these things will provide a different sort of embarrassment, the kind that I try to avoid," I replied, kicking at them a little. I then frowned at the bright blue polish that sat on my nails. When in the world did they managed to do that without me noticing? These girls are scary once they put their minds to something, that's for sure.

"It's what practice is for," she replied before slapping my on the shoulder.

"Julia, leave her alone," Mathilda said with a light giggle. "You don't even have to wear them until we leave. You still have time," she addressed me before reaching out her hand. "Come on, let's get that makeup done." I curled my lip. "Don't worry; we're not going to put much on. We're going for the natural look tonight, but enough so that you don't look washed out."

Letting out a long sigh and took her hand and let her pull me to where the others were. There was no point in ruining their fun and bringing down their mood just because I felt like an awkward turtle. I kept my eyes shut tight as I felt brushes and different textured makeup get put on my eyes, face, and mouth. By the time I opened my eyes and looked in the mirror I hardly recognized myself. If it weren't for the tiny mole by the side of my lip I would've thought another person was staring back at me.

"Absolutely stunning, the guys'll never know what 'em," Hilary said with a laugh. "I can already imagine their faces."

"It's not that much different than their normal ones," Emily commented, taking her finger away from her eye and the blinked rapidly as a tiny tear drop started to slowly inch its way down her cheek. As she and the other girls finished up their makeup I went over to my shoes and sat on the edge of the bed to put them on. As I latched the straps I kept my eyes on the dark blue and black dress, wondering how in the world I managed to get to this moment of time: going to a Ball with a group of people that I could kinda sorta consider my friends and was on the top ranked beyblading team in the world.

I let another breath out and let out my stress and worries with it.

"Are you all done yet or…?" I asked as I stood, wobbling slightly once I stood in full height in my heels. "I'm pretty sure Grandpa Granger wants some pictures."

"Go ahead; we just need a few more finishing touches," Hilary replied as she ran a brush through her hair.

_Whatever_. I walked out of the room, shaking my head a little bit at their antics and then frowned at how it felt like my head suddenly weighed a little bit more than usual only because my hair was down. I brought a hand up to it and felt along the braids that ran from the front of my head and then back to a loose ponytail that blended in with the rest of my hanging hair. Hilary did a good job with it but the pull on my head was uncomfortable.

I paused outside the door of the large kendo practice room where I could hear the others talking. Tyson and max were talking about something that had to do with chocolate syrup. I could never understand how their brains worked someone. I placed a hand on the door and began to slide it open when Ray spoke up, adding his two cents, and my heart revved in my chest. I stopped myself and rbought my hand back, resting it on my chest to feel how fast my heart was beating. Coupling it with the lurching sensation my stomach had made me realize that I was actually nervous. About how they'd react once they saw me. Would they laugh? Make jokes? Comment snidely?

I paused and shook the thoughts right out of my head. _It's okay, relax. They won't say anything…at least not to your face…great. Way to go, Crys, make yourself even more nervous over nothing._ But it wasn't really nothing. This night meant everything. All that I worked for brought me here. Finally I pushed open the door and walked in as carefully as I could, offering up a smile. "What're you guys talking about?"

Tyson turned around and grinned. "We're talking about how Max puts mayonnaise on everything. Might as well replace it with something good like chocolate. A lot of things could benefit with chocolate on it. Like…Brussels sprouts."

I made a face. "I still wouldn't eat 'em, even _with_ chocolate on them," I commented as I joined their little circle. I jumped a little when Ray lightly touched my arm.

"You look great," he said with a warm smile.

"Thank you," I said with a slight nod of my head and pushed a loose strand of hair behind my ear. I tried to smile but my mouth wasn't forming the gesture right. It didn't help that my cheeks were turning as red as a tomato at the same time. "You do too," I quickly added. Then I mentally kicked myself. "You all do. You clean up nicely." I looked around the room. "Where's Kai?" I asked.

"He said he had to run out to get something," Tyson replied, fidgeting with his tie. There was no way he'd leave that thing on within the next hour.

"And Kenny?"

"He says he's going to meet us there," Max replied.

"And Lee and Gary and Kevin?" I asked, turning to Ray with lifted eyebrows.

"Kevin got his tie too close to the blender," Ray replied. He didn't have to explain the whole story, I could see what happened in my mind. I closed my eyes briefly at how stupid those boys could be. It's amazing that they don't harm themselves just from walking.

"I don't know why the things they do surprise me so much," I commented with a little laugh. The conversation quickly died down and a strange blanket of awkwardness settled ontop of us. I started rocking back and forth in my heels a little while waiting for someone to say something to make the awkward go away. "So, Ray, did you know that Mei's wedding is around the Dragon Boat Festival?" I asked him as I stopped rocking.

His eyebrows lifted and his eyes lit up in excitement. "Really? I didn't even notice!" Then he turned to Max and Tyson. "You guys have to come out to see it. The Dragon Boat Festival is one of the best festivals in China. Great food and fun times are to be had."

"What's a Dragon Boat Festival?" Tyson asked.

I blinked, waiting to see if he were serious. "It's a festival…about dragon boats," I said slowly.

"Yeah, Ty, what'd you think it was about? Fairies?" Max laughed while elbowing Tyson in the side. Tyson lightly elbowed him back before they got into a mini fight while broke up a couple of seconds later as they burst into laughter. I smiled and shook my head at their antics. Just then it seemed as if everyone at that time decided to arrive for the rest of the White Tigers, the girls, and Tala and Kai came into the room from different doors.

"They couldn't have timed that any better," I commented, distracting myself with the loose bracelet that hung partially on my wrist and partially on my palm. I glanced around to see the guys' reactions to the girls in their dresses. I smirked when I noticed Tyson's reaction to Hilary, as if he had been hit over the head with something. I managed to get Max's attention and mouthed, "You're so going to lose."

Fighting a smile he shook his head and mouthed back, "I've still got time."

I playfully stuck my tongue out at him I used my hand to push my bangs out of my face, scanning the group once again, doing a double take when I saw Tala and Julia talking. Huh. Who knew that those two would go together? I've hardly even seen them talk to each other let alone acknowledge each other's existence. My gaze kept going until they rested on Ray and Mariah, a little bit longer than my sanity could take for he was looking at her in a peculiar way as he spun around in her dress and grinned at him.

I tore my eyes away and wrinkled my nose at the gut twisting feeling that took over my body. Bring a hand to my head I shook my head a little, trying to mentally force myself to get the stupid feeling to go away, of which had started to pop up on regular intervals. I felt a tiny nudge on my arm and looked up to see Kai.

"Is everything alright?" He asked.

I nodded and shrugged. "Everything's fine," I replied. "I just kind of want to bypass the press conference thing, y'know? A little bit too much weight on my shoulders."

"You'll be fine," he replied shortly. He held out a clear plastic box which held a bright yellow rose attached to an elastic wrist band. I lifted an eyebrow at the color but didn't say anything about it as I accepted the box with a grateful smile. I popped open the lid and the small sound alone seemed to push its way through everyone's conversation and grab their attention.

"Hey, watcha got there?" Daichi said louder than necessary. I looked up and flushed when I noticed everyone was looking at us.

"It's a _corsage_," Hilary gasped as if she were admiring a 24 karat diamond ring.

"Way to show us all up, Kai," Tala said from across the room with a large smirk on his face.

"Shut up, Tala," Kai said icily.

And there they go again making a big deal out of nothing. They tend to do that a lot, I've finally noticed. Ignoring them I took the flower and slipped it over my wrist, pushing my bracelet out of the way. I admired it and noticed how well it actually went with my outfit, something bright against the dark blue and black. "Thanks," I said quietly. Then I clapped my hands and got everyone to jump. "Let's get going already!" I announced. "I want to see what kind of dessert they have! I'm starving!"

"Now you're talking, sister!" Tyson said as he rushed over to me with his hand raised. I met him halfway and high-fived him energetically.

"Wait, how're we all going to get there?" Emily asked while crossing her arms over her chest. "I'm sure none of us have a car that can fit our large number of attendees."

"Oh, don't you worry about that," Tala spoke up as Grandpa came into the room, fumbling around with a camera. "Mr. Dickenson has that covered."

* * *

"Oh my gosh! My first ever ride in a limo!" Hilary said excitedly while taking the hand that the chauffeur was offering to her and stepped down onto the ground. She then stretched her arms wide and spun around in a circle. "I feel like a princess. Or a celebrity."

"Yeah, well, remember which celebrity brought you here," Tyson said as puffed out his chest. As if we really needed a reminder of how big his head could get.

"Mr. Dickenson you mean," Max pointed out, elbowing Tyson in the side. "To whom we owe our entire blading careers."

"Are you guys going to keep yapping or are you going to go inside?" Daichi asked as he jumped out of the limo in front of me and tore into the large hotel that the Ball was being held in.

I stepped out of the limo and smoothed down my dress before crossing my arms over my chest. "Someone should've stopped him," I stated. "Most likely there is a wall of photographers and press waiting for us to go in. He's sure to be blinded by the flashes of the cameras alone if not the lights of the hotel."

"He wants to be impatient, I say let him," Tyson said with a wave of his hand.

"He's definitely going to regret that," Ray commented as he got out of the limo behind me. "I can already see the press lining up right now. If Daichi isn't blind after going past them then I'll applaud him."

We laughed at his joke as the others got out of the limo and admired the scenery around the large hotel. All around us people were milling about, talking to each other and greeting others with waves and excited glances.

"Ah, there you all are!" We turned around to see a woman holding a clipboard close to her chest walk up to our group. "They're ready for you all inside," she explained to us. "The press conference is set to begin in about twenty minutes and they want to be sure they get our entrance in before it starts. If you would follow me please."

"Oh this should be fun," Kai muttered sarcastically. I jumped a little when he lightly placed his hand on my lower back to lead me inside. I noticed Tyson starting to dash towards the door and let out the best whistle that I could through my teeth, stopping him instantly and causing the rest of the White Tiger team to place their hands over their ears.

"Tyson, it's rude to leave your date behind," I said as calmly as possible thought I wanted to beat him over the head with a hammer. It's obvious he's been raised by boys his entire life. "Walk _with_ her and open the door for her."

"You're sabotaging," Max sing-songed.

"Well aint that the pot calling the kettle black!" I retorted. "'Sides, you shouldn't be paying attention to them. You should be paying attention to your date. Where is she anyway? Or did you lie to save face?"

Max's smile turned to a smirk. "I didn't lie," he replied. "I don't have a reason to lie." He turned his head when he heard a car door slam. "Ah, there's my date right now." He lifted his hand and gave a little wave.

"Sorry I'm late. Dunga over there was having trouble with his cummerbund." I looked around to see who the voice belonged to and lifted my eyebrows at the tall dark blue haired girl wearing a tangerine dress coming our way.

"Hey, it's no problem at all," Max said with a smile. "Glad you could make it, Mariam. I'd like to introduce you to a friend of mine. This is Crystal. Crys, this is Mariam."

"Oh, you're from the Saint Shields team, right?" I asked while holding out my hand.

She nodded and gave it a firm shake. "So you've heard of us then?"

I nodded. "Long story," I replied. "Thought I would like to see your beyblade in action."

"I've come to the right place then."

"Hey Mariam," Tyson said excitedly. "I didn't know you were coming!"

Mariam gave a wave of her fingers. "Yeah, Max invited me," she replied while jerking her thumb in his direction. "I can't pass up a good party."

"Are the rest of the Saint Shields here too? Ozuma?" Tyson asked while eagerly looking around.

"Trying to find a place to park," Mariam replied with a laugh. "Don't ever get into a car with him if you can avoid it."

Before Tyson could say anything the woman with the clipboard called for our attention again and insisted that we get inside. Tyson's demeanor instantly changed at her words.

"Come _on_!" Tyson yelled while grabbing Hilary's wrist and dragged her inside of the building. The swarm of photographers inside the hotel seemed to swarm around them almost immediately. The rest of us followed suit and went inside the hotel. The sounds amplified from people yelling at us to turn and look in every direction as flashbulbs went off before or eyes. My cheeks started to hurt from keeping my smile on my face and my ears began to hurt from the noise. It was so overwhelming, having people yelling your name for a few seconds of your time to get a good picture. I felt like everything was pushing in on me in all directions.

Slowly suffocating me.

"Okay, that's enough," Kai said firmly before ushering us all in past the foyer and into the quieter lobby area. We all let out collective sighs of relief now that we were away from the chaos.

"Looks like the others are enjoying it a bit more than we did," I said as I jerked my thumb behind us. They turned to see our friends and other teams having a grand ol' time on the mini red carpet that had been laid out for us. "Thank beyblade we got out of there."

"Saved by Kai like always," Ray said with a grin aimed in Kai's direction.

"Hn," was all he said as a reply.

"I think I'm blind," I muttered while carefully rubbing at my eyes. Little flashes of light were still going off in my vision.

"I don't remember the lights being that bright," Tyson said as he shook his head.

"Or the press being that loud," Max agreed while wiggling his finger in his ear. "I don't ever want to be a movie star."

"Ugh. I know! You're always being yelled at," Hilary agreed while using a hand to fan her flushed face. "I was so overwhelmed."

"And Kai, as usual, is as cool as a cucumber," Ray added with a grin.

"I think he was more annoyed than anything," I laughed.

"Daichi loved the attention," Tyson said as he watched Daichi hamming it up for the cameras.

"Yeah, 'cause it wasn't on you for once," I deadpanned.

"Alright, Bladebreakers, are you ready for the Press Conference?" Mr. Dickenson asked as he approached our group. He then used a finger to push his glasses further up his nose. "Well, don't you all look wonderful!"

"Thanks Mr. Dickenson, now give everyone else a compliment," Tyson joked.

"If you don't mind taking your seats so we could get started," Mr. Dickenson addressed our friends. They nodded and filed inside of the press room. Mr. Dickenson took the time to compliment and admire their attire as well before he turned to the rest of us. "I don't have to remind you that you're not only representing yourselves but you're representing the entire BBA, not just the Japanese section. Yo all should be on your best behaviors."

"Whore' you directing that towards? Tyson or Daichi?" I asked.

Mr. Dickenson smiled. "I'm merely reminding you all," he replied. Then his expression turned serious and he faced me. "I have specifically asked that the reporters refrain from asking you anything about your family or else they'll be kicked out."

I reached out my hands and grasping his larger ones, giving them a squeeze. "Thanks Mr. Dickenson, for everything," I said softly. "If it weren't for you I wouldn't be here."

"If it weren't for our skill you wouldn't be here," he corrected me. "But it's my pleasure."

"Mr. Dickenson, the press is ready," another young woman said while poking her head out of the room.

"Splendid!" Mr. Dickenson said while clasping his hands together. "Follow me, if you will."

We fell into line behind him and walked into the room that filled with applause and camera flashes as soon as we walked in. While the press took a couple of the first rows our friends took a majority of the seating. I took a look at our name tags sitting on the table and frowned.

"What's wrong?" Max asked, noticing my face.

I didn't reply to him but, instead, shouted for Mr. Dickenson. "Mr. D," I called, grabbing his attention. "Hilary's name deserves to be on the table," I told him.

Tyson scoffed. "She doesn't even blade! Why would she be up here?"

"Why wouldn't she?" I jumped in before Hilary could explode at him. "Kenny doesn't blade but he's up there with us. He's our mechanic, so what? She's the one who makes your schedule. She's the one who manages our time. She's the one who creates our workouts and even trains with us despite not having a reason to. I don't know about you but I think that's pretty damn important and she's a part of the team as much as you and I are. Hell, she does more than I do—I didn't even _blade_ up until this Justice 5 tournament—and she's always there to give us unconditional support. She deserves to be up there with us," I stated firmly.

"I agree," Ray spoke up, putting a hand on Hilary's shoulder. "Hilary does a lot for this team, even if she doesn't blade. She should be up there with us. She's still a Bladebreaker or G Revolution or whatever we're called."

"You're absolutely right, my apologies Hilary," Mr. Dickenson said to Hilary before turning to speak to a man with a clipboard.

"See? Now you get the recognition you—why're you looking at me like that?" I asked Hilary while making a face.

She let out a little squeal and grasped my hands as she jumped up and down in excitement. "Oh my gosh! I'm going to be on TV! Thank you so much, Crys!"

"No need to thank me, you deserve this," I replied while squeezing her hands. I could practically feel her energy bouncing around me. "It was the right thing to do."

We all flinched at the sound of feedback when the announcer tapped on the microphone. "At this moment I would like to welcome the Bladebreaker/G Revolution team!" The announcer cut over the noisy din of the room. "Please welcome Tyson Granger, max Tate, Daichi Sumeragi, Kenneth Saien, Crystal Ming, Raymond Kon, Kai Hiwatari, and Hilary Tatibana. And please welcome the head of the BBA, Mr. Stanley Dickenson."

We walked up to the table and took our seats as the attendants let out cheers and whistles of support while clapping. After smoothing down the skirt of my dress I looked up and blanched at how many eyes were trained on us.

"I figured you'd go with 'Manning'," Ray commented as he sat down to the left of me. Mr. Dickenson sat on my right.

I shrugged. "No point in hiding anymore," I responded simply.

He accepted my answer with a slight nod of his head and a smile. "I'm glad."

Smiling in return I zeroed my attention in on Mr. Dickenson answering a question about the future of the BBA. "Right now our plans are to build the BBA from the ground up," he replied calmly amidst the bright flashes of light. "We're going to start all over and make sure that the idea that beyblading is a sport that everyone can enjoy is in the forefront of the entire corporation. With interest of the sport at an all time high we're sure that the sport will be bigger than ever. We want the sport to be simple and fun again and it is our mission for the BBA to give the kids that opportunity."

"Have you thought of what format the next World Tournament will consist of?" An interviewer asked while lifting his pen in the air.

Mr. Dickenson let out a hearty laugh. "Eager as always I see," he commented. "We just finished a tournament and already there is talks of a new one." He let out a little sigh of content. "While the date of the next tournament is unknown we are in the planning stages of what type of tournament this will consist of. We've seen many examples during the past World Championships and we can say that they have been giving us ideas. Who knows, maybe we'll leave the decision up to the kids to see if they want another tag-team tournament or a battle royale! The possibilities are endless."

"G Revolutions, do you have any plans for the upcoming months?" Another interviewer asked.

Tyson was the first to speak up. "The possibilities are endless now that the tournament is over," he replied. "But that doesn't mean we're going to stop 'blading. Any challenge, anywhere we're ready to take you all on!"

"I'm probably going to help my dad around his hobby shop," Max said into the microphone that was placed in front of his mouth. "Then maybe take some time to go and visit my mom."

"But, for the most part, I think we all just want some time to relax and take a little vacation," Ray agreed. "We've been going nonstop for ages and it'll be nice to have things slow down for a bit and enjoy life."

"A friend of mine is getting married soon so Ray and I are going to fly back and attend," I said while pointing at Ray. "Otherwise I'd like to try and get into a school over here and attend in the fall."

"Tyson, you and the rest of your team have had an amazing 'blading career thus far and so much more to go, I was wondering if there was one point or one moment that you would want to repeat," a short and somewhat stocky woman spoke up.

"Winning every championship of course!" Tyson boasted while thumping his chest. "I'd _love_ to relive those moments."

"So modest," Hilary muttered sarcastically.

"_No!_" He suddenly shouted. "The food we got to eat from traveling around the world. I've _love_ to repeat that!" Chuckles spread through the crowd as a bit of drool leaked out of the corner of his mouth at the mere idea of the foreign food.

"Of course," Kenny sighed, lightly slapping his face with his palm. "I should've known it'd have something to do with food."

"I'd like to relive the sightseeing," Max said after a few seconds of though. "I loved being able to see the sights whenever we got the time—which wasn't that much—so I'd love to relive that if I had more time to see everything."

"To piggyback on what Max said I'd like to relive the traveling part," Ray spoke up. "I love to travel and getting the time to do that again would be lovely."

A few people turned to Kai to see what his answer would be but he remained tight-lipped as usual. His arms were crossed tightly over his chest and his eyelids were pressed together. He had a good idea, he could block out the bright lights.

"How does it feel having to try and protect your title every year?"

And on and on the questions went, a majority of them directed at the team as a whole and some directed at a specific person. Hilary even got asked a few questions as well. One could easily tell how pleased she was to be noticed by the press. The longer the press conference went on the more annoyed Diachi was starting to get with the questions being asked mainly in Tyson's direction. So much that at one point they even got into a little brawl when Daichi wanted to show off his blading skills and Tyson had to wrestle him to the ground to get him back under control. All the while Mr. Dickenson was laughing at the display. Finally things got back under control long enough for the questions to be asked again.

"How is it working and 'blading on a team with this particular group of boys?" A tall woman addressed Hilary and I. "I can only imagine you'd have some difficulties."

I smirked while Hilary laughed. She was the first to reply. "There are days where I just want to rip all of their heads off for being, well, _boys_," Hilary replied to more laughter in the crowd. She paused and brushed some hair out of her face. "But, otherwise, I wouldn't trade the experience for anything. I basically barged my way into their world and they accepted me and it's been amazing ever since. Getting to travel the world with my best friends is something that I'll cherish for the rest of my life."

"Aww, Hils, didn't know you liked us that much," Tyson said with a large grin as he draped his arm around her shoulders. She knocked his arm off of her shoulder and gave him a half smile and then turned her attention to me.

"Um, well, it's been really interesting for me," I replied. My words came out slow because I was piecing together my response in my head. "I've never 'bladed on a team before, nor have I 'bladed in a tournament setting. I mean, I did blade with my friends when we were younger but we weren't an official team then. This was my first time blading on an official team, first White Tiger X and now the Bladebreakers. It's been a great learning experience because I'm not used to having to rely on others to get things done. I'm used to working to do things myself so having others to fall back on is…is great. They're a great group of guys, I want to strangle them sometimes, but they're great and very dedicated to the sport."

"Crystal, if you had to choose who your blading partner would be who would you pick?" A woman with lipstick stained teeth asked.

"Out of them?" I asked while motioning up and down the table. The woman nodded. "Most likely…Ray," I replied after a couple of seconds of thinking. "Only because we grew up together so I know his blading style and our bitbeasts work very well together. Otherwise...I'd go with Max because our blading styles are so different and I think if someone can work well with someone else who has a different blading style and make it _work_ then you're well ahead of others in the blading world."

"What made you boys decide to take in another blader? Not only that but a female? Did it change your team dynamic at all?" Another interviewer asked.

"Not at all," Max spoke up after a silent standoff between the boys to see who would speak first. "She fit our group like a glove, so to speak. She easily slid in and gelled with us and we didn't slow down at all. Ultimately, deciding to ask her to be on the team, was after seeing how…dedicated she was to defeating BEGA and doing all that she could to help us out and we didn't even have to ask her. We liked her dedication and determination and thought it would be a great addition to the team."

"Oh you guys are laying it on thick," I muttered as I felt my cheeks burning from their compliments. "I'm already on the team, no need to suck up."

"You're too modest," Hilary said from the other end of the table.

I mumbled something incoherent as a response and shook my head. The discomfort that had managed to float away from me when I stepped into the building came back and wrapped around me like a warm, suffocating blanket. They were treating me like the best thing since sliced bread. I was nowhere near as good as Tyson or Kai was. Sure, I could stand on my own and out maneuver even some of the good bladers out there but I wasn't some prodigy like they were making me out to be. I couldn't even begin to live up to those expectations.

Everything went by smoothly and as the press conference wrapped up I began to feel more relaxed and couldn't wait to get to the dancing/beyblading part of the whole event. I was itching to battle new people and to see others battle each other being brought together by the love of one sport.

And then that one question was asked.

"How did it feel to look into the eyes of the man that mercilessly killed your parents?"

* * *

_**A/N:** Wow, I didn't mean for the wait to be this long. I had good ideas for this chapter and then it kept going and going and it go so long that I split it into three different chapters, this being the first part. The next ones will be great, I hope. A few questions that I think some of you had will be answered in the upcoming chapters. Thanks for those that reviewed, I'm glad you're enjoying the story but I have to say it's slowly coming to a close. Only a few more chapters left._

_But here's the good news. As I've stated already I'm working on a sequel but before I get to that I'm writing a little story to go between this one and the sequel. It's sort of like an OVA for it's going to be all about Ray's birthday being celebrated and the antics that everyone gets into. So far it's titled Crouching Tiger: Summer Paradise but that might change. Please let me know if there are any spelling mistakes or grammar mistakes or anything that didn't feel right to any of you. Constructive criticism is always welcome. Thanks! Please read and review!_

_~C.M._


	34. Chapter 34

**Thirty-Four**

My mouth fell open at that question and I'm rarely ever at a loss for words but this… I couldn't believe that someone had the gall…the fucking _audacity _to ask a question such as that in a public forum. Murmurs swept through the crowd as I felt my face flame. I needed to get out of here and away from the stares but my body wouldn't let me move. I was stuck. _Please, God, let this be a dream and I'll wake up soon. Please._

A slap on the table caused all of us to jump and a silence to fall across the room. Like falling dominos, our heads turned to see that it was Kai who had slapped the table and was now glaring at the interviewer as if his life depended on it. "Hey! Didn't Mr. Dickenson specifically say not to ask questions pertaining to anything about her life _besides_ beyblading?" Kai practically barked at the man who asked the question, who was now trembling like a Chihuahua.

"Kai. Kai! It's okay," I said over the noise, fearful that he'd rip the guy's head off. "_It's okay_!" I repeated those words mainly to get him to calm down and partially to convince myself that it still didn't hurt to remember that my parents were indeed gone.

"Security, would you kindly see this gentleman out?" Mr. Dickenson asked the buff men that were standing on either side of the table. "And that'll be the end of this press conference. Thank you for your time."

"Don't even ask!" I deflected the question that rose to my friends' eyes before they could even ask it. I walked away from the table and moved towards the doors toward the ballroom. I paused by the door and let out a little huff when I realized that they hadn't followed me. "I'm fine, really," I said to them despite looking at my feet. "It still hurts, yeah, but I can handle it. I don't need you guys protecting me from it all the time. I appreciate it, but I don't need it. I can take care of myself."

"Just remember we're here for you," Tyson spoke up. I looked up at him and noticed that familiar fire was in his eyes. "We're a team now, we have your back. We always will."

"Us too!" Kevin said as he and the rest of the White Tigers walked over to us. "We're not just a team, we're friends. Family, even. We'll always be there for you."

As much as I appreciated their sentiments my brain wouldn't allow them all to settle themselves inside. I gave a small smile and forced a change of subject. "Let's just forget about it, okay? And have the time of our lives? Or, the best night in a while, if anything, Besides, there's a chocolate fountain in there calling my name!"

_I know I don't do this enough but I want to thank you for bringing these people into my life and shaping it for the better. Thank you for bring the White Tigers back into my life and giving them, and me, the patience to open up again. Thank you for finally giving me a place to feel accepted and welcomed, the Bladebreakers team. Without them I would be nothing. Thank you, thank you, a million times, thank you._

* * *

The ballroom that was chosen had many round tables by the front door. Past that was a large dance floor and a few feet away was a small stage with a podium and a microphone. Behind the stage was a large poster of the newly-formed Bladebreaker team picture, taken right after our victory over the BEGA League. Needless to say Tyson loved seeing his face on the large poster. A table of assorted snacks and drinks sat on two opposite sides of the table, one holding the healthy foods of choice and the other held the "junk food" of the chocolate variety that most of the guests flocked around.

The ballroom was covered in elegant curtains that transformed the room into a certain circus tent feeling. The bright strobe lights and disco ball that hung from the ceiling and spun different colored lights around the room added to the ambience. At each seat sat a disposable camera so people were running around taking pictures with their friends and of beybattles that were going on around the venue.

Kevin and Joseph from the Saint Shields were currently battling out. I did a double take when I saw them, they kind of look alike it's creepy. Tyson and Ozuma were battling as well and Michael was facing off against Gary, a bet of treats was on the line in their case and Gary was never one to turn down food no matter which way he obtained it.

I stood by and watched all of the bladers interact with others of the blading world, mainly other bladers, some were colleagues of Mr. Dickenson, and even a few fans were allowed in as the night went on. It was amusing to see how big their eyes got when they saw their biggest idols. Tyson was definitely eating up the attention. He has been since we all performed our Entrance Dance. He only tripped over his feet five times, a vast improvement from the lessons that I've given. Hilary noticed the difference as well for she hadn't stopped talking about him and his behavior for the past few minutes.

"Can you believe that?" I zeroed in on what she was saying and hoped that I looked like that I had been paying attention to her. She was slowly shaking her head, a small smile sat on her lips. She briefly brought her glass filled with sparkling cider up to her lips and took a sip. "He's been acting so…normal. I hardly recognize him." She laughed a little and added, "Part of me wishes he would say something Tyson-like so I know he was replaced with a robot."

I gave a one shoulder shrug and smiled as well. "Maybe he's changing, growing up even," I suggested while lightly elbowing her in the side. "Didn't think you'd ever hear those words with Tyson's name, huh?"

"Well, he does have a refreshing take on life, I'll give him that," Hilary admitted, her cheeks tinting red ever so slightly. "I can honestly say I'm enjoying myself." She paused and then added, "Until something possesses Tyson to say and/or do something stupid."

I nodded. "It's inevitable." I let out a slow breath and looked around the room again. I tried to stop the muscles in my face from pulling it into a grotesque look but it was if they had a mind of their own. Hilary caught the look on my face and gave a little laugh.

"What's that look for?" She asked over the loud horns that signaled in the intro of _YMCA_. The night was filled with tacky, pop songs for some reason.

Caught, I let out a little sigh and jerked my chin up, subtly pointing it in the direction of where Mariah was trying to drag Ray onto the dance floor for the song. He had a smile on his face and was trying to tell her no but she kept insisting, tugging at his hand and batting her eyelashes at him. "She's had her claws dug into his arm since she got here. The girl should retract them every once in a while," I replied, bringing my glass up to my mouth.

Hilary made a noise and tapped a finger on her chin. "Which part of that is bothering you? That it's Ray or that it's not you?"

I slid my eyes in her direction and lifted an eyebrow while swallowing the rest of my sparkling cider and then lowered my glass, taking my time to swallow and shake my head. "Neither. I'm just saying she's laying it on thick." Hilary's eyebrows rose. "I'm worried." They rose higher. "I _am_!"

"Uh-huh," she muttered, clearly not believing a word I was saying. Hell, I hardly believed what I was saying recently. Especially when it concerned going back to China to stay or just for an extended visit. Honestly, I missed being able to call it home but I didn't miss the looks that were shot in my direction or the whispers that went around whenever I walked by. I was accepted back into the village but that didn't mean peoples' minds were going to clear and change and that sucked. She studied my face for a couple of seconds before finally speaking up. "Can I ask you something?"

Just then the song changed to a slower paced one, _For the Longest Time_ by Billy Joel. Yes, I know most of these songs. Just 'cause I traveled the world for a good chunk of my life doesn't mean I didn't pay attention to what was going on around me. Billy Joel is actually one of my favorite artists. Max and Mariam were the first to the dance floor; he took her hand in his and gently spun her around the room. Both were talking animatedly. Mathilda and Miguel were swaying slightly on the dance floor, Mathilda's face was bright red but she had the biggest smile on her face as she talked to Miguel about something or other. Either way it was a giant step in the right direction for the shy fairy. Mariah had now successfully gotten Ray onto the dance floor. Her long pink hair swayed with every movement as she held Ray close to her and beamed, never taking her eyes off of him.

"Please," I mumbled in response, turning to look at her. Anything to stop me from having to watch Mariah's perfect life get better. Anything to keep the sick feeling in my stomach from coming back.

"Your name…" she said slowly.

I blinked. What was she getting at? "What about it?" I asked.

"Whenever you blade your name is announced as 'Manning', but tonight it was announced as 'Ming'," she pointed out.

"Oh, _that._" I waved my hand, motioning for her to follow me to an empty table that we had occupied during dinner. Now it just held the boys' coats and the girls' purses. I sat down and let out a little sigh while taking off my heels. I don't know _why_ we girls wear these things. They're not comfortable at _all_! Hilary sat down as well and turned her ruby eyes to me, waiting in curiosity. "It's nothing, really. You know how Mariah's birth name is Mao but we refer to her by her English name Mariah? Well, I was born Cai, which means full of color, but got called Crystal for my eyes. While I was traveling, right after I left home, I didn't want any ties to it. The village. My friends. My past. My _home_. I hated how much pain I felt just thinking about the place. So I just took on an English name I overheard one day in hopes to shed my past from myself." I slowly shook my head. "I should've known it wouldn't work. Our village is prideful of the idea that our present is shaped by our past and our ancestors. I learned, the hard way, that no matter how much I run I can't escape it. I learned that when I went back to the village for the World Championships.

"When they were all mad at me, when they were hostile towards me and made me work to get back on the team that I always thought I belonged on." I gave a little laugh. "It's funny, I absolutely _hated_ them when I went back but, as time went on and we went through the Tag-Team Tournament I slowly let it go. I was holding onto misplaced anger. I was angry that they didn't do anything when I was banished. That they, as my friends, didn't stick up for me but I realize that they really couldn't. We were eight. What could they have done?" I tilted my head back and finished my glass and shrugged again. "Once I let that go I realized, slowly yet surely, that running was stupid. Being someone I wasn't was stupid so…I dropped my fake name and took mine back."

Hilary nodded and looked deep in thought. "I've wondered about you and the White Tigers." I lifted my eyebrows, silently asking what she meant. She paused and moved some of her hair behind her ear. "You say you're friends and all but…it feels weird," she finally replied. "Like…you're still guarded around Lee, Mariah, and Ray but you're fine with Kevin and Gary."

"Kevin…I wasn't angry with him at first. I figured he just went along with it because he was scared of Lee or something. I used to babysit Kevin when we were younger. I loved the kid to death, he was like the little brother I never had. I always took care of him and grew very fond of him. Gary I could tell him things and knew he wouldn't say anything about it. He's a very sweet and quiet guy and he was always there to taste test my cooking experiments." I laughed a little at a memory of him trying my apple pie for the first time. He ate it all and didn't say anything about it, despite mixing up cinnamon and cumin.

I cleared my throat a little and continued. "But with the Wongs and Ray…it's different. We're the closest in age so we did a lot of things together but there was always this silent competition between us. Lee wanted to be better than Ray, Mariah wanted to be better than me, stuff like that. It only got worse as we got older and took up the sport of beyblading and Ray and I were given two different tigers of the village, the only two tigers of the entire village and since then there's always been rivalries between us, despite us being friends. Jealousy is a part of it too, I think. Not that they'd ever admit it, but it's obvious. While Mariah _is_ right, the White Tiger team prides itself on our unity and friendships I feel like…I won't ever fully be accepted back until I prove myself to them and it's…very frustrating."

"Oh, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked," Hilary said while partially covering her mouth.

I shook my head and smiled at her. "No, it's okay. I needed to get that off my chest to someone. I couldn't tell Kai or Tyson or Max, they wouldn't understand."

"Oh. So why me?"

"Well, you gotta have one friend you can trust with this stuff, right? Bonus points if it's a girl." I hesitated. "I, uh, I never really had a best friend. I mean, I consider Max and Tyson my best friends but never one that was a girl. Despite how close Mariah and I have become there's something in the way and, so, you were the best choice to be a best friend…if that's okay!" I mumbled and then mentally groaned. I wasn't good at this…sharing emotions stuff. I just hoped she didn't think I was a huge moron.

Hilary beamed. "No, no it's okay. I consider you my best friend too!" She lightly scratched her forehead as if hiding under her hand. "That's why, uh, I wanted to ask you for something."

I tilted my head slightly. "Yeah?"

"For your help, I mean," she replied. Now she seemed nervous, which was out of place for her. She was such a confident person that it was actally awkward to watch her. "Um, I wanted to ask if you could teach me…how to 'blade like the rest of you." My eyes widened and she rushed on. "I was, um, kind of jealous of you at first," she admitted with a little laugh. "I mean, you fit into their 'club' so fast it kind of bugged me and I thought if I ever wanted to learn I could get you to teach me. I don't want to be like Tyson or anything, but it would be nice to spin every once in a while and get what the others are talking about. Kenny even blades every once in a while so—"

I lifted my hand to stop her from talking. "Say no more. I'd be honored to teach you."

"Really? You will?"

"Yeah." I nodded. "You have the enthusiasm, and that's a perfect place to start. Tomorrow, okay?"

"Okay! Great! Thanks!"

I lean back in my seat and cross one leg over the other. It's amazing how one night of fun beyblading could bring everyone together. Kenny and Emily were talking to Ming-Ming about something or other and Kenny didn't even seem nervous to be in her presence anymore. When we found out that she was his date we were all shocked (albeit Hilary was a little annoyed) but she turned out to be a sweet kid although a little too obsessed with the idea of fame (apparently that's how she became a 'singer' and a BEGA blader). All teams that used to be rivals put it aside for one night of fun and the feeling could be felt all around the room. Even Tala and Bryan were a bit more social than they usually are, talking to Julia and Raul as Romero stood by trying to put the moves on Max's mom.

Suddenly an arm shot into my view and picked up my glass. I looked up to see that Kai was the one who had taken it from me. "Do you want some more?" He asked, tilting the glass at the table filled with different assortment of drinks.

"Yes, please," I said with a nod. "Thank you." He nodded as well and walked off.

"Wow, I knew he was polite but he's even shocking _me_," Hilary commented as she watched Kai walk away.

"I know," I agreed. "The attention is starting to freak me out. He's been by my side practically all night. He finally went away when I told him he could talk to Tala and the others."

Hilary giggled. "He's just being a gentleman. Even more so than Ray, and that's saying something."

"Isn't it?" I laughed as well. "You know what I noticed, though? He seems more talkative when he's _not_ wearing his scarf!"

Hilary let out a little gasp. "Hey, yeah! That makes sense! When I met him last year he was actually very talkative. Before hand I was told from Kenny and Tyson that he wasn't a talker. He actually opened up a lot last year—_and he wasn't wearing his scarf_! It must be a security blanket of sorts."

"Must be—thanks Kai," I said while accepting the glass from him. Instead of walking off like I expected he pulled up a chair and sat down. Through half lidded eyes he glanced around the room and silently brought his glass to his lips. "So, Hilary here wants me to teach her how to beyblade."

"Crys!" Hilary hissed while smacking my knee, her cheeks burning.

Kai turned his violet eyes to her and lifted an eyebrow. "Why?" He asked.

Hilary shrugged and pressed the tips of her two pointer fingers together. "You guys make it look like fun and, I don't know, I don't want to be left out."

"Well, if anyone can teach you she can," Kai stated.

I crossed my arms over my chest and smiled a little. Well, I'll be. Kai _can_ give out compliments. Did the planetary alignment shift in the atmosphere? A comfortable silence fell over us as we, once again, looked around the room. Julia and Raul now had a little crowd around them as they demonstrated some tricks they learned in their circus troop. I looked up when I felt a tap on my shoulder and saw Kevin and Joseph, aka Twin 1 and Twin 2, standing by my side.

"Yes?"

"Joseph said Mariam wants to battle you now," Kevin told me.

"Really?" I uncrossed my legs and stretched. "Why not? Dricen needs to stretch his legs. But how about you two battle with us? Make it more interesting?"

"Sure!" Joseph said with a nod. "I'll go tell her."

"You're going to take 'em both on?" Hilary asked in astonishment.

"Sure. Only way to get better, right? Besides, I haven't had Kevin as a partner yet and I want to see how Dricen and Galman match up. Who knows? They could end up being a better pairing than Driger and Galeon," I replied while standing. She and Kai stood as well and walked with me over to one of the free dishes where Max, Mariam, Joseph, and Kevin were waiting.

"This should be a really interesting battle," Max said as I turned to Hilary and held out my hands. She dug into her purse and retrieved my beyblade and my launcher from her purse. It was a lot easier than carrying one myself.

"You ready?" I asked Kevin as I loaded my launcher.

He nodded. "Born ready."

"Ooh! Can I count it down?" Hilary asked excitedly. We nodded and got into our launching stances. "Three! Two! One!"

"_Let it rip!_"

Mariam's and Joseph's beyblades landed simultaneously while there was a slight delay between Kevin's and my blades landing in the dish. His launch wasn't as powerful as mine was so his blade had a little less spin but it was still holding its own against Joseph's beyblade which started to attack Galman right off the bat. Mariam's blade and mine spun around the dish, waiting for the best time to attack.

"C'mon, Sharkrash! Take her down!" Mariam called out.

I grinned. That's just what I was waiting for, for her to make the first move. "Dig your claws in the ground and hold on, Dricen," I ordered. Dricen stopped where he was and spun on the spot as Sharkrash raced towards him. Dricen bent towards the ground a bit, as if he were lowering his head, and as soon as Sharkrash got close enough Dricen launched him up into the air. "Nice one!"

"Ah! Sharkrash!" Mariam gasped.

"Vanishing Moot, c'mon!" Joseph called out. Vanishing Moot stopped attacked Galman and launched himself into the air, successfully hitting Sharkrash and letting the two fall back into the dish, still spinning. They then charged forward and smashed into Galman and Dricen, sparks flew at the contact and the sound of grinding metal filled the air.

"Nice try but we're not finished yet!" Mariam said with a grin.

"Neither are we!" Kevin replied. "Crazy Monkey Attack, Galman!"

Kevin's purple 'blade started wobbling in the signature way that made it seem like it was going to fall over but it didn't. instead it seemed to create many different copies of the original. I smirked at the expressions on Joseph's and Mariam's face only to have my focus torn away by Kai suddenly glancing towards the window with his jaw clenched. "Kai? What's wrong?"

Before the words could even finish coming from my mouth the windows started to blow out one by one. Screams filled the air as people ran around trying to get away from the falling glass. I held out my hand and Dricen flew back into my palm. I barely had time to move when a beyblade flew past my face. More screams of panic filled the room.

"Watch out!"

"Get out of the way!"

"What's going on?"

"Mr. Dickenson, move!" Tyson yelled over the noise. I turned around to see where the president of the BBA was. Mr. Dickenson was standing by the podium, a beyblade flying right at him. As quick as a whip Tyson launched Dragoon at it and smashed the beyblade out of the way. "Who did that?" He demanded.

"This party seemed dull so I decided to liven up the place." A growl rolled in my throat when Kaoru jumped down from the rafters and snatched his beyblade up from the ground. He gave a little laugh.

"What're you doing here?" Tyson demanded.

"What do you think?" Kaoru replied with a lift of his eyebrow. "I knew you were slow but your mind is going as slow as molasses in Antarctica." He shook his head. "I'm here for her of course," he replied, pointing in my direction. "I would've gotten her too but gramps over here…I figured he'd be a better tool to convince her to battle me. The old man is actually good for something, I guess."

"That's enough!" I snarled, my voice echoing in the large room. Kaoru stopped mid-laugh and se his eyes on me. "I do not condone anyone disrespecting their elders, especially Mr. Dickenson who worked hard to keep the sport of beyblading clean and fun for everyone. This night was to symbolize that and you're ruining it. I will not stand for it! You want a battle? You got one!"

"Crys, no! You've already taken a beating from Mariam and Joseph. You're not strong enough," Max protest, his blue eyes wide with fear.

"Yeah. Let us handle this creep," Tyson agreed.

"No," Kai said firmly before I even opened my mouth to protest them. He had his arms crossed tight over his chest and he was glaring at Kaoru. "Let her battle."

"I always knew I liked him," I quipped while tying my hair back into a ponytail with a ribbon that Hilary had brought in her purse.

"You can't be serious," Ray stated.

"Yeah! Let _me_ fight!" Daichi added. "I'm itching and ready to tear his blade apart.

Kai shook his head. "This is _her_ fight. He always shows up to battle her, not you. You wanted her on the team, let her prove to you that you didn't make a mistake."

Tyson held Kai's gaze for a long while. He even looked as if he was starting to shake by suppressing his anger but Kai didn't even flinch, didn't blink. I swear I saw sparks shoot off between their eyes for a couple of seconds. Tyson let out a frustrated sound and ran his hands through his hair. "As much as I hate to admit it, he's right," Tyson sighed in defeat after a few moments of silence. He turned to me with a fiery look in his eyes. "Take him down! You can do it!"

"Yes!" I nodded and made sure Dricen was loaded and ready on my launcher. I let out a slow breath through my nose and forced myself to calm down. My heart was racing and we haven't even started yet. I could feel the familiar tensing of muscles in my legs. My mind was telling me to run, to get away from this and let everyone else handle it but I forced myself to stay. I was done running. Finished. I was done escaping my problems instead of facing them head on. Enough was enough.

I walked over to the dish that Kaoru was now standing by. My feet grazed the cool floor with every step that I took. "You just pissed off a crouching tiger," I warned him while getting into position. "I hope, for your sake, that you're prepared for when I pounce."

Kaoru grinned. "We'll see."

* * *

**A/N:** _And here's the next chapter. We get a bit more into Crystal's head and her relationships with the White Tiger team and those around her. And Kaoru's back! Honestly, I almost forgot about him until I remembered how important he is to the story as a whole and we hadn't seen him in a bit so I knew it was time to bring him back in. What does he have up his sleeve this time? Please read and review! Thanks for sticking with me._

~C.M.

_P.S. Cai isn't pronounced 'Kai' but like 'Kay'._


	35. Chapter 35

**Thirty-Five**

"You just pissed off a crouching tiger," I warned him while getting into position. "I hope, for your sake, that you're prepared for when I pounce."

Kaoru grinned. "We'll see."

"Hmph!" _What does he want from me? One minute he claims he wants to help me reach my full power and now he wants to fight? Oh well, he's asking for it and I won't back down until he's destroyed! _I blinked when DJ Jazzman appeared as if out of nowhere, yelling into his microphone as usual. I brought my hands up to my ears to block out his screaming. It wasn't that he was that loud but my ears were pretty sensitive.

"Alright, this'll be a good, clean match," DJ Jazzman said to us. "Standard BBA rules apply. First one knocked out or the first one to stop spinning loses. Okay challengers, are you ready?"

"Ready," Kaoru replied.

"Mhm," I mumbled, getting my mind in the zone.

"Okay! Let's count it down!" DJ Jazzman said excitedly while lifting a hand into the air. "Three! Two! One!"

"Let it rip!" The guests around us called in unison.

I yanked on my ripcord as hard as possible but there was an obvious power difference compared to my usual launch. Kaoru's blade landed in the dish smoothly and took off at high speed around it. Dricen bounced a little on his landed but spun around the dish near the bottom.

"You should've listened to your friends," Kaoru taunted. "This battle is as good as mine."

"You haven't even attacked yet," I pointed out. "What's this all about? Why do you want to attack me and Dricen? What do you want him for? I want some answers this time!"

"To make you suffer!" Kaoru replied with a look of malice blazing in his eyes. "Go Hadenix!" In the blink of an eye Hadenix was coming towards Dricen. He was fast but not fast enough."

"C'mon Dricen! Evade, let's go!" I called out. I watched in satisfaction as Dricen moved out of the way with each attack that was thrown at him. That was our specialty, evading until the other blade got weaker and weaker so we could land a hit and win. But Hadenix didn't seem to be slowing down and, with a sinking feeling, I realized that Dricen would only be able to evade for so long before actually having to attack. "Keep it up!"

"How's she doing, Chief?" I heard Hilary asked from behind me. I clenched my hands into fists and gritted my teeth.

"Dricen's beginning to slow down," Kenny said in between keyboard clacks. "Evading is her specialty but at this rate Hadenix is going to tire her out before she can attack him. It's not looking good."

"You might as well give up!" Kaoru called across the dish. "I'm going to bring Dricen back where he belongs."

"He belongs with me and my family!" I snapped.

"Only because he was stolen from my ancestors!" Kaoru yelled back. I lost my concentration slightly at his outburst but it was enough for Hadenix to find an opening and bash into Dricen. _Dricen was stolen? _I shook my head. No! There was no way that's true!

I growled as my friend let out a roar of pain as he was hit again and again. Our defenses weren't great, it was something that I've always needed to work on and, unfortunately, Kaoru found that out. Once Dricen was backed into a corner and tripping over his paws he was finished and I couldn't let that happen!

I could feel sweat dripping down the side of my face. My heart was pumping at a high rate and adrenaline rushed through my veins. The roar of surging blood in my ears was so loud I couldn't hear much aside from my heartbeat and Dricen screaming in my head.

"Dricen…he belongs to me and my family in the White Tiger tribe!" I struggled to get out as I felt my energy slowly being zapped. Kaoru, if possible, had gotten much stronger than when I last saw him. This was going to be tougher than I thought. "He's been passed down for generations."

"But he didn't start out in your family," Kaoru replied. "The Ming family were thieves and stole Dricen from my ancestors many years ago. Dricen brought us everything we needed to survive and you made us suffer!"

"Don't listen to him, Crys!" Ray yelled. "He's only trying to get you to lose focus!"

_No shit, Sherlock! And it's actually working too! What does he know about my family that I don't? _ I watched the beyblades to see if there was an opening for Dricen to take but Hadenix was everywhere. Dricen couldn't shake him. "Dricen is a pure soul! If my family were to have stolen him it was because yours didn't deserve him!" I hissed, baring my fangs. "Only those with pure hearts and intentions can have him and you're not one of them! I will take you down once and for all! C'mon Dricen, _Tiger Claw_!"

Dricen's speed amped up and he managed to get away from Hadenix to land blow after blow on the black beyblade. I glanced up briefly to see Kaoru's reaction and saw that he was laughing at me! "What's so funny?" I ventured to asked.

"You are," he replied simply. "Since you think you can beat me. Newsflash: you can't! Hadenix, Mutilating Darkness!"

My breath got caught in my throat as I was suddenly plunged into darkness. There was no sound around me at all save for my breathing and Dricen's screams of pain. I turned around on the spot to try and see something, anything, but the darkness was too thick. This was like his Raging Darkness attack. I waited for a memory to form in front of my face but nothing happened. Everything around me stayed dark.

"Oh man, not again," I whispered, my grip tightening on my launcher so much it started making a cracking sound. "Still using your cheap shots, eh Kaoru?" I called out. I didn't really expected Kaoru to answer me. If anything Dricen's screaming only got louder and filled with pain and anguish.

Suddenly I could see him. He was lying on his side, much like a cat lying in the sunlight but he was twitching as if he were being hurt by some invisible entity. I took a stumbling step towards him before finally finding my energy to run at him. I finally reached his side and looked over the large tiger whose breathing had slowed and was labored. I slowly reached out my hand to touch his flank, jerking it back when he let out another yowl of pain. Swallowing thickly I reached out my hand again, though it was shaking now, and finally pressed it against his warm side. I moved my hand around in a circle, feeling his fur move between my fingers.

"Drice', I'm here, its okay," I uttered between choked sobs. "I'm still here, buddy. I'm not giving up on you, okay? I'm…I'm still here fighting for you." I looked at Dricen's face and saw that his amber eyes were locked on me. "We can get through this. We've been in worse spots. Remember going against Garland? He was the toughest guy we've ever fought against and we beat him. We can beat Kaoru too. I believe in you, Dricen. We all do. Me, the guys, Dragoon, Draciel, Strata Dragoon, Dranzer, and Driger. They're all rooting for you."

Dricen lifted his head and rolled onto his stomach. I quickly scrambled out of the way and watched as he struggled to get to his feet. He shook every now and then from the force of being hit but he continue to try and get to his paws. His jaw clenched and his eyes squeezed shut. When he opened them his pupils had contracted until they looked like slits. His back arched and he spat and hissed into the darkness in front of him. I placed a hand on his flank once more and looked off to where he was looking.

Something started to step out of the shadows in front of us and I swear I felt my heart stop for a second. Standing in front of us looked to be a…a demon. A large creature with ruby red eyes and bat wings. His fangs gleamed despite the lack of light in the area and he towered over us. I swallowed and tired to steady my breathing but this was the biggest bitbeast I've ever seen in my life.

"We…we can do this, Dricen," I told him while rubbing his side. "We can beat him. Just remember everyone else. "We can take Hadenix and Kaoru down. What he doesn't realize is that it's not just the power that makes the beyblader. It's the heart, the soul, and the dedication put into doing everything you can into being the best you can be! Not relying on the power of the bitbeat and using them as a tool!"

I squeezed my eyes shut and when I opened them again everything came back: the ballroom, Kaoru, Hadenix attacking Dricen, and my friends cheering us on. I brought a hand up to my chest as it heaved with every gulp of air I tried to bring in. "And…and that's what you need to realize, Kaoru…" I wheezed. "You'll lose."

"What?" Kaoru hissed. "Take a look, Kitten, you're almost finished!"

I glanced down at my blades to see that Dricen was wobbling an awful lot and Hadenix was attacking him as if glued. I smirked and stood straight up. "That's what you think. Kaoru, you have nothing. You have no one to lean on for support and that'll be your downfall! Unlike you, I have friends backing me and they'll always be there for me and _that_ makes me a stronger blader than you'll _ever_ be!"

"Ha! We'll see about that! This battle, _and_ Dricen, are _mine_!" Kaoru snapped. "Go Hadenix!" In a beam of gray light the demon bitbeast rose from his blade and towered over us. "

"Dricen! Let's finish this!"

Dricen rose from my beyblade with a mighty roar, his fangs and claws bared.

"Hadenix, Helm of Darkness!"

Dark energy surrounded Hadenix and the blade disappeared from the dish.

"No way!" Tyson gasped.

"It…it disappeared!" Max uttered.

Kaoru's laughing stopped when I started laughing. "What's so funny?"

"You are," I taunted, repeating his words. "Dricen's a tiger. Essentially, he's a large cat. You've forgotten one important thing…" I felt power course through my veins and was sure that Dricen could feel it as well. "Cats are excellent at seeing in the dark. Dricen, _Tiger Claw, full power!_"

As Dricen surged forward he was enveloped in a bright blue-white light. He suddenly stopped, as if ramming against an invisible entity and the bright light filled the room. I brought my arms up to shield my face and felt wind whipping past me and ruffling the hem of my dress. I lowered my arms in time to see the beam of light fade from my blade before wobbling and then coming to a complete stop. Glancing up my eyebrows crinkled when I saw the look on Kaoru's face. He looked shocked, which was odd considering I just lost…right?

"…And the winner is Crystal!" DJ Jazzman announced.

What? I looked down at the dish and saw that Hadenix had broken to pieces and was scattered around Kaoru's feet. I let out a little laugh before falling to my knees. It's over. It's finally over and done with.

"Way to go Crys!" Max yelled in my ear while dropping to my side and giving me a hug.

"You really showed him, dude!" Tyson added while punching his fist into the air.

"You were amazing out there," Ray said while grasping my hand and helping me to my feet. "He never stood a chance against you. You were right, he may have the power but he doesn't have the faith to back him up."

"Heh heh, thanks guys," I laughed as I rubbed the back of my neck.

Hilary looped her arm with mine and made an excuse about having to freshen up. It was as if she could feel my discomfort with the attention. She's a life saver.

* * *

"How in the world did you manage to fit this in your purse?" I asked Hilary's reflection while slowly moving the mini flatiron down my hair. The fight didn't just take a lot of my energy but it also did a number on my hair as well.

"Hey, a girl's gotta be prepared," she replied with a little laugh. "Just like you're going to have to start getting used to being the face of the Bladebreakers."

I stuck my tongue out at her reflection. That's the _last_ thing I want to deal with. I just want to blade and live my life, that's all. I don't want any of the sponsorships or the attention, but I knew I'd have to hold my tongue being the first, and so far only, girl to join a World Championship beyblading team. It was just a price to pay, I guess.

"Ready to go back to the festivities?" She asked as I pulled her mini flatiron from the wall and handed it back to her.

"Sure, but I don't think I want to beyblade for at least a day," I replied with a little laugh. "Kaoru took a lot out of me. I kinda wish he didn't take off."

"Hey, yeah, he said some stuff about Dricen."

"Yeah, stuff I hadn't heard before. I tried not to believe it but…it was very interesting to say the least. I just want to know a bit more but I guess I have to find that out on my own, unfortunately."

"Maybe some people in your village know," Hilary suggested as we left the bathroom and began to walk down the long hall to get back to the ballroom where the party seemed to be going in full swing once more.

"Maybe."

"Crys, can we talk?" Lee's voice came from my side. I shifted my eyes to look at him and noticed that he was standing by the door to the ballroom. I let out a huff and crossed my arms over my chest.

"Go ahead," I told Hilary when she hovered by the door. "I'll be there in a few." She nodded and cast one glance in Lee's direction before pumping the handle of the door. A blast of loud music and laughter came out of the room before it was cut off from the closing of the door. "What?" I asked when Lee didn't say anything.

He cleared his throat and looked down at the floor. "I…I wanted to apologize." I made a scoffing sound. That alone was hard for me to believe. Lee doesn't apologize for anything, ever, not even when he's proven wrong about something. "I mean it, I shouldn't have said what I did."

"Oh, you mean when you implied that the only way anyone would be interested in me would just be to get under your skin?" I asked in a tight voice while glaring at him. "FYI, I haven't even spoken to Mystel all night."

"That's only 'cause that blonde haired freak has been following you around," Lee retorted.

I wanted to smile at his nickname for that Enrique kid but I didn't. I've heard of him and the Majestic team but this was the first time being in the same vicinity as them. Enrique's reputation was given to him for a reason and I had to threaten to smash his face into one of the many cakes that were provided to get him off my back.

"Hardly," I denied. "Kai scared him off." I shook my head. "You've been behaving ridiculously since I found out we were arranged and it needs to stop. You're only coming out looking like an idiot."

Now Lee scoffed. "Ray should've never told you."

"I deserved to know. It's my life."

"Yeah, well, it wasn't his place! But that's his plan all along, right? To make my life miserable." I crinkled my eyebrows together as he began to talk more to himself than to me. "He's always done that. He's always come out on top in everything we did. He's always been better than me in everything. He's always had everything _I_ wanted. But not this time. I see through his plan. He tried to make my life miserable…but at your expense."

"What're you flapping your gums about, Wong?" I demanded.

He gave a mocking laugh. "Like you don't know. I'm not stupid. I see the way you look at him, the way you look at him with my sister. You want that to be you, right?"

I dropped my arms to my side. "I don't know what you're talking about," I mumbled.

But my words fell on deaf ears. "He tried to mess things up again by getting you to despise me and the idea of getting married to me. He was close but it won't work 'cause I finally have something he doesn't."

"Ray has nothing to do with my opinion about you," I snapped at him. My tone finally seemed to get through his thick skull. "I'm not particularly fond of you because you have a short temper and you lash out at everyone instead of admitting your own faults. You let your emotions get in the way of blading and, let's face it, your jealousy is astounding and it'll always get in the way because you focus too much on what Ray has or did instead of yourself. You're bringing yourself down, Ray has nothing to do with it!"

"Quit defending him! He doesn't even care about you! Not like you want him to."

"Ray's just my friend. That's all."

"Right. He may be blind but I'm not."

"Whatever, Lee. I'm done talking about this. You can sulk all you want, I don't care. But let me tell you this, no matter how hard you try you'll _never_ be like Ray."

I turned away from him and had my hand on the door handle.

"Fine. Don't say I didn't warn you," Lee growled from behind me. "He steps on others to get what he wants. Don't come crying to me once you figure that out."

I tuned him out and walked back into the ballroom. More people were dancing to the music than blading now. Tyson and Max, however, were sitting at our table, plates stacked high with every dessert imaginable in front of them. Hilary sat nearby with a look on her face which was a cross between astonishment and annoyance. Daichi, Kenny, and Ray were nowhere to be found with a quick glance around the room. Kai was battling Dunga off in a corner. I was beginning to wonder if he'd 'blade again since he hadn't ever since the Justice Five tournament ended. I guess Dunga was a worthy opponent.

"Hey! Where've you been?" Tyson asked while pointing with his fork in the direction of the dessert table. "Get some dessert before it's all gone!"

"That'd be all thanks to you, I guess," I said while pointing at his plate. He shrugged and took another bite of his brownie. As I chuckled I felt the sensation of being stared at and looked around the room to see that Lee was glaring at me.

"What's up with him?" Hilary asked, following my gaze.

I shrugged. "Who knows?" I mumbled. "Hey, have any of you seen Ray? He owes me a dance." Tyson, Hilary, and Max stopped and looked at each other. "What?" I asked them, getting annoyed at the secret looks they were giving each other.

"He's, um, he's over there," Hilary replied, pointing towards a corner of the room.

I gave her a look before turning around in my seat and searched the room to spot him. I finally found him sitting by a plant that was in the corner, Mariah was right by his side. They were holding hands and Mariah was saying something to him with an anxious look on her face. I blinked and in that second she had leaned forward and kissed him.

My mouth fell open.

She _kissed_ Ray! I couldn't even properly wrap my head around the very idea let alone believe what I just saw. It was no secret that Mariah's been chasing after Ray for ages, though she did her best to keep her crush to herself and try and put her friends first. Color me surprised when she actually kissed the guy. I turned back around and looked down at the table as the sick feeling came back full force, coupled with the sudden urge to bash Mariah's face into the wall.

"What?" I demanded when I noticed the others' looking at me. It came out more harsh than I intended. They didn't say anything but shook their heads. Rolling my eyes I crouched down and searched for my shoes.

"What're you doing?" Max asked, a slight shake to his voice as if I were going to yell at him.

"I want to go," I replied.

"Why?"

"I'm tired," I replied. "Do you have a problem with that?"

He rapidly shook his head. "No."

"Okay then."

"We'll go with you," Hilary offered.

I shook my head as a response. "I don't want to ruin your fun."

"I'm getting tired myself," Hilary said before looking at Tyson and widening her eyes in her idea of a subtle way to get him to agree with her. He looked down at his plate and then back up to Hilary and back down again. "Tyson, you can bring it with you."

"Okay," he sighed.

"I'll come too," Max said as he put down his fork. I was about to protest when he held up his hand to stop me from speaking. "I'm coming," he said firmly. "I'll tell Mariam and then I'll be right back."

"I don't want you to break your date."

"She won't mind. She has others to blade against and, besides, I think she's staying at a nearby hotel, if not this one. I'll be right back."

I let out a soft sigh. I just wanted to get away from everything. It didn't help that the music was starting to give me a headache. I leaned down and brought my heels up onto my lap. There was no way I was going to wear them anymore. Hilary, Tyson, and I stood as Max came back and was accompanied by Kai, his hand clutching onto Dranzer.

"What's up?" He asked.

"I want to go," I replied simply and gave a little yawn. "I'm tired and I have a headache."

He didn't say anything but grabbed his dress coat off the back of his chair and slung it over his shoulder. "Let's go then."

We followed Kai out of the ballroom, through the hotel lobby, and into the cool night. We walked in silence for a little while, the only sound that filled the air were Hilary's heels clacking against the ground and random burps coming from Tyson as he continued to stuff his face with dessert.

"Where are we going anyway?" Max suddenly asked, causing us all to stop walking. "I don't know about you but I kinda don't want to go back to the dojo yet."

"How about the river?" I suggested. "I need to soak my feet, these heels almost did me in."

With a small chuckle the others agreed with me and we walked in the direction of the river. The cool ground felt like heaven against my feet. It wouldn't surprise me at all if I had blisters on them the next morning. But that'd be a small thin to worry about considering I, no doubt, would have to listen to Mariah go on and on about her night with Ray all day tomorrow. _Hmm, maybe I can finally get that kendo lesson from Grandpa. One that lasts all day, hopefully._

Finally we reached the river. Hilary and I sat on the edge of the river and stuck out feet in the placid water, letting out little sighs of relief. The moon was large and full and cast a silvery light over us. No one said anything and the silence was starting to get to me but I guess it was better than them having stupid small talk. My mind was racing at a mile a minute, not focusing on one subject for too long. My mind mainly went back to what Lee had said to me. Was it possible that what he was saying was true? I didn't want to believe it but…I didn't know what to believe anymore.

"_Tyson!_"

I was pulled out of my thoughts by Hilary's high-pitched scream. I looked up and let out a strangled laugh when I saw that she was dripping water and glaring at Tyson with clenched teeth. Tyson was standing in the shallow part of the river, his pants legs rolled up to his knees and his shoes and socks abandoned on the shore. He was holding onto his stomach and laughing so hard that he had to wipe tears from his eyes. His hat was now perched ontop of his head and it made me wonder if he had carried it with him the entire time.

"I'm sorry Hilary but it was too good of an opportunity to pass up!" He chuckled.

"I'll show you a good opportunity!" She growled before jumping up herself and kicking her leg up through the water, successfully splashing the bottom part of his body. "Ha ha!"

"I'll get you for that!"

"We'll just see!"

And that quickly escalated into a water fight between the two that Max just had to join in on. I leaned back on my palms and looked up at the night sky, not letting my mind go anywhere except to the idea that Dricen and how he had been in my family was a bunch of lies. How could this be possible? The White Tiger Clan upheld its traditions that the bitbeasts were passed down through the families of certain tribes, save for Ray and Driger. How long have I had the wool pulled over my eyes?

_Splash_!

I coughed and spluttered when water suddenly hit me in the face. I brought my hands up and furiously wiped the water away, taking off my makeup along with it. I probably looked like a clown with melting face paint.

"Kai!" I cried out in astonishment as he stood up from where he was crouching in the water. He lifted an eyebrow and had a challenging look in his eyes. Tyson, Max, and Hilary stopped what they were doing temporarily and looked over at us. I spat a little river water out of my mouth and stood as well. "You're going to pay!" I declared before joining in on their water fight, kicking and splashing water at anyone that was close enough to me.

* * *

**A/N:** _I hope you liked Crystal's battle. I've found that beybattles are a little hard to write so I watch the shows, mainly V Force, to give an idea on how to write them. One more chapter to go..._

_~C.M._


	36. Chapter 36

**Thirty-Six**

_Two weeks later…_

"Wow, I didn't know so much went into a Chinese wedding."

Max dropped straws into the two glasses of lemonade that sat on the counter and made sure there was an even amount of lemons in each (he didn't like when things were uneven and his friends got more of something than he did) before picking them up and carrying them over to the table Crystal was sitting. A large cake was sitting in the middle of the table with Chinese writing on the top tier. It had been dropped on this doorstep that morning. He almost didn't get a chance to see what it was for Daichi (who had somehow shacked himself up in his home) almost attacked it with a Tyson-like hunger.

He tried to figure out what the characters were saying for her could read enough Japanese to get by and he thought it was the same but, sadly, it wasn't. He had called over to Tyson's dojo for Crystal's help. He would've asked Ray but he was mysteriously missing that morning so Crystal came over to help instead.

Ever since the Beyblade Ball things slowly got back to normal. The city was repairing itself after Brooklyn's power destroyed some buildings in the nearby area and currently the BBA was starting to get back on its feet with the help of the Bladebreakers/BBA Revolution/G Revolutions (they still couldn't decide on keeping their old name or using their new one). They attended every event the BBA had, passed out flyers, and spread the word about the association and how it benefited them and got them to be at their current level. He was taking some time before meeting down at the river for a few lessons they decided to conduct, Mr. Dickenson's idea to get more kids interested in the sport.

"Yup," Crystal replied with a nod of her head, her long ponytail bouncing. "They're very intricate and complex celebrations of joining ones families together. See, they send out these cakes with the invitation. It's kind of like a bribe to get someone to come, some would say. It's called a _XiBing_ or Double Happiness Cake."

"Oh?" Max's eyebrows rose at the name of the cake. "Why's that?"

Crystal paused to take a sip of her lemonade. She smacked her lips and smiled at the taste, wiping at her mouth with the back of her hand before continuing. "Because they're adorned with the Double Happiness sign of good fortune and, well, happiness." She pointed at the symbol that sat on top of the cake. Max nodded. "They can also be called Dragon & Phoenix cakes."

"That's so cool. But why was I given one? I don't really know anything about your friend Mei or who she's marrying," Max pointed out while fishing his lemon out of his glass with a spoon. Unlike most people, Max loved lemons. He liked the tart taste to them and how it made his lips pucker up like a fish. It was part of a game he and his mom used to play, the one who kept their face the same the longest wins.

"I have a hand in that one," Crystal said with a grin that revealed her upper canines. "Y'see, Mei wants this wedding to be one that she'll remember forever and that was filled with as much good luck and good vibes as possible. I mentioned to her that not only do the Bladebreakers have the bitbeasts of the four gods of Chinese mythology but two of them are a dragon and a phoenix, two of the most popular creatures of mythology and luck in China."

Max gave her a confused look. "I don't follow."

Crystal lifted a finger, much like Kenny did whenever he was about to explain something. "Y'see, the Chinese consider the dragon and phoenix symbolic of blissful relations between husband and wife, another common yin and yang metaphor. Mei thought if the two holders of the dragon and phoenix bits were there her wedding will be blessed. Its part of the reason why it's being held near the dragon boat festival." She lowered her finger and shrugged. "That and I figured you boys needed a chance to see China for how Ray and I see it and get a culture lesson at the same time."

Max leaned back in his chair and tapped his fingers against the cool glass that was slowly, over time, dripping with condensation. Crystal turned her attention back to her drink and didn't notice the way Max was looking at her. He was a little shocked to hear 'the R word', as she put it, come out of her mouth. She hadn't spoken to or of Ray roughly since the Ball; doing everything she could to avoid him. She's been spending most of her time at his place hanging out with him instead of at the dojo with Hilary or Tyson. Not that he minded for she was great company but he didn't like seeing a friendship that was starting to become strong again fall apart once more.

The blond had a thousand questions running through his mind since that night but he knew better than to ask them. Crystal may be a sweet and charming girl but her mood could easily shift as if a change in tide and he didn't look forward to being on the other end of one of her glares (they didn't compare to Kai's—nothing ever could—but hers were intimidating in their own right). But if she brought it up it should be safe territory.

"So, are there any new developments with…the birthday plan?" Max asked, carefully choosing his words incase her mood did a complete 180.

"Mmm!" Crystal's eyes widened and she set down her glass. "Thanks for reminding me. Kai came through with the money so I got the flight and the hotel booked for all of us for the week. Now all we have to do is get him there without figuring out what we're trying to do."

Max let out a breath he didn't know that he had been holding. He put a smile on his face and said, "As long as we don't tell Tyson we should be fine. He can't keep his mouth shut about anything."

"I know, right?" She let out a little laugh. "Hey, we should get going! Mr. Dickenson wanted us there early."

Max turned in his seat and looked at the clock on the wall. "Yeah, you're right. Let's go."

* * *

"Tyson! The point of this whole thing is to teach kids how to blade! Not to keep knocking them out before they even had a chance to do anything!" Hilary scolded while placing her hands on her hips. She had been quiet for the past few minutes as kid after kid lined up to take on the world champion but she just couldn't hold her tongue anymore.

He wasn't giving anyone a chance to even lay a hit on him. How were they supposed to get better if they were only going to get knocked out of the ring in five seconds flat? The kids didn't seem to care for they were standing in front of the World Champion and were actually beyblading with him, but still, it was the principal of the matter. And Tyson needed his ego to be deflated a couple of notches.

"Hey, how are these kids going to get any better if they don't challenge me when I'm at my full potential?" Tyson asked while rubbing beneath his nose and gave a hearty laugh.

"For once Tyson has a point," Kenny commented from where he was sitting nearby, his laptop was open and powered up on his lap with the camera recording every battle. "These kids won't get better if Tyson is holding back."

"Ha ha. See, Hil? I can be right sometimes," Tyson said gleefully. "Alright, who's going to be my next victim?"

"_Tyson!_"

"Oh, relax Hilary. Tyson's just being his overconfident self. One of these kids is going to knock his head back to size sometime soon," Ray said with a laugh at his friend's expense. He threw her a gentle smile so as not to make her nerves skyrocket and change her crosshairs, which were almost always permanently set on Tyson, to him. He wasn't afraid of her but she could be intimidating when she was angry, he'll admit.

"That moment can't come too soon," she muttered while crossing her arms over her chest.

"Oh I'm sure you'd love to have the honors," Ray said with a teasing smile.

"You know me too well."

"Well, considering you even yell out Tyson's name in your sleep and attack your pillow as if it were him, I'd say Ray's assumption is a safe bet," Dizzi quipped from the laptop.

"Well, gee, Hilary, I didn't know you dreamed about me," Tyson said with a large grin. He turned his attention away from his white beyblade right as it knocked another plastic bound one out of the dish with barely a bat of an eyelash. "Good dreams, I hope."

"Oh they're wonderful once you're dead and buried six feet under," Hilary said pleasantly.

Tyson's good humored smile fell off his face. "Gee, thanks a lot, friend."

Hilary shrugged and gave an innocent smile. "So Ray, what're you going to do now that all the excitement is dying down?" She inquired.

"Now that you mention it there was something I wanted to say but I wanted to wait for everyone to get here," Ray replied, placing a hand on his waist. "Hmmm," he mused while scanning the area. "Where's Kai?"

"Off brooding and practicing being anti-social somewhere," Tyson replied with a wave of his hand, turning back to the dish to see Dragoon spinning in place smack dab in the middle. "Aw, c'mon. No more takers? No one else wants to battle the World Champ?" He asked once he noticed the line had dwindled down.

"I think the novelty wore off," Dizzi commented.

"Took 'em long enough," Hilary muttered.

Tyson chose to ignore her comment. "Max should be here soon. He said he was held up by a cake showing up at his door or something." He placed a hand on his growling stomach. "I hope he left some for me."

"A cake?" Ray repeated, not fully understanding Tyson's words. "Max's birthday already passed. Why'd he get a cake?"

"Dunno. He said that there was something written on it in Chinese," Tyson replied, catching his beyblade and then turned to look at his friends. "So he called over asking for your help to read it but you weren't around so Crys went over instead. She's been there with him all morning."

Ray's eyebrows lifted and he brought up a hand to rub at his chin while thinking. "Oh yeah? Sounds like a wedding invitation to me, if memory serves me right."

"Are his parents getting married again?" Tyson asked while scratching at his head. "I mean, they're not _that_ old. I'm sure his mom would still look good in a wedding dress—_ouch_! What'd you do that for?" Her growled while rubbing the back of his head.

Hilary lowered the fist she used to punch Tyson. "Would you please have some tact for once?"

"I have plenty of tact!" The expression on Tyson's face changed as he learned closer to Ray's ear. "Psst. Hey Ray, what's tact?"

"If you even have to _ask_ you don't have any!"

"You take that back!"

"Make me!"

"Ah, there go the lovebirds," Dizzi quipped, her teasing voice coming out of the speakers. The children around them didn't seem to notice anything wrong as they continued to blade and run around in the river.

"Sssh! Quiet Dizzi. Hilary might punch you as well and I would love it if I didn't have to pay for another screen tune-up," Kenny whispered.

Ray laughed at his friends' antics and looked up when he heard the sound of a bell. Max parked his bike at the top of the hill overlooking the river and he seemed to be arguing with Crystal about something. He paused while she put down the kickstand on the bike she was using and the two bickered over something while walking down to the group of friends.

"…And I'm telling _you_ that I won and you owe me $10!" Crystal said with a little roll of her neck.

Max let out a sigh of defeat. "Fine. I'll give you the money when I can."

She patted his arm. "See, that wasn't so hard now was it?"

"Yeah yeah." Max looked around and then gave his friends a smile. "Hey guys! This turn out is great! There are a lot more bladers here than I thought would show up."

"Hiya Maxie! Hey Crys!" Tyson said, suddenly enthusiastic and abandoning the argument he was having with Hilary. "Crys, do you want to battle me?" He asked while holding out Dragoon. "C'mon, I'll even give you a delayed launch."

Crystal looked between his 'blade and his face for a couple of seconds before shaking her head. "No. But thanks for asking."

Tyson faltered slightly. She never turned down a beybattle with him so why now? "W-Waddya mean no?" He stuttered. "Are you scared?"

"Hardly," Crystal replied with a roll of her eyes. "If you win you'll be a sore winner and when you _lose_ you'll be a sore loser. I'd rather not get into it," she explained, punctuating the end of her sentence with a dismissive wave of her hand. Tyson crossed his arms over his chest and pouted as she shrugged and said something about it not being "personal".

"Ray, what is that you wanted to tell us?" Hilary asked him.

Everyone's eyes turned to him and he let out a little breath. "It's nothing huge," he replied. "I just wanted to say that I was going to go back to China for a while and be with my team." Tyson's jaw dropped and he continued before Tyson could say anything. "Don't take it the wrong way. I mean, the tournament is over and we don't know when the next one will be. While I love staying here with you, Tyson, I want to go back home and get some work done there and so more training and spend time with my family and friends."

"But…but the team," Tyson said quietly.

"Ray has a point, Tys," Max quietly spoke up. "I wanted to take some time and go home to America to see my mom. It's nothing personal, Tyson, really. We just want to see our family and relax at home for a while. Who knows when the BBA will be ready to hold another one? I don't think I want to hold my breath about it."

Tyson sucked in his breath and Max and Ray waited in a tense position, as if expecting him to explode at him. He slowly let it out and let his eyes move over to Crystal who was standing nearby, staying quiet. "Are you going back with Ray?" He asked.

Crystal shook her head almost automatically. "Nope, I'm staying here. Hilary's going to need some back up dealing with you all summer," she replied. "Besides, I'm still waiting on my acceptance letter."

"Acceptance letter for what?" Ray asked, his voice laced with confusion. The others didn't seem as confused as he was. He frowned a little, hating that he was being left out of the know but he didn't expect anything different. This was the most she's talked to him in about two weeks.

"For school," Crystal replied. "I applied to go to school with Tyson and Hilary and Kenny. I've already traveled around the world, might as well stay put for a while and try something new."

Ray looked like he was about to argue with her but he held his tongue. "Where's Daichi?" Ray asked.

"Oh yeah. I knew it was too quiet around here," Tyson said while looking around. "He must be too afraid to face me in the dish again. Ha ha ha ha! Who can blame him?"

"Erm…" Max stretched the word and glanced at Crystal the same time she stretched the word "Uhh." Soon the two looked at Tyson and both held apprehensive looks on their faces.

"What? I was just joking," Tyson said.

"We know." Max reached into his pocket and pulled out a folded piece of paper. Before heading out to meet everyone at the river Max had gone upstairs to see if Daichi wanted to tag along. He didn't find the small energetic boy. Instead he found the note that he had left behind.

"What's this?" Tyson asked while taking the letter. He unfolded it and read aloud. "'Dear Tyson, being on the Championship blading team was a dream come true. But it wasn't my full dream. I have to leave. I know you'll understand. I have to do this to be the best beyblader ever. I want to make you proud of me. Daichi'." He looked at the paper for a few moments before crushing it beneath his fist. "Well, that's it then? We're splitting up?" He asked.

"Just for a little while, buddy," Ray tried to reassure him.

Tyson let out a growl of frustration. "How do you know it's for a little while? What if when the tournament comes back around and you stick with The White Tigers, Ray?" Tyson turned to Max. "Or the All Starz?"

"We'll just cross that bridge when we get to it, Ty," Crystal said while putting a hand on his shoulder. His tense shoulders relaxed under her touch. "Just 'cause they want to go home for a little while doesn't mean the team is completely finished. We don't know the format of the next tournament, or when it will be. Just focus on the here and now and worry about that stuff later."

"She has a point," Hilary agreed. "No use worrying about the future. There are a bunch of kids waiting to get lessons from the World Champions. So get over there and teach them how to let it rip!"

"Remember, Tyson, even we need some time to ourselves to help our skills improve." Everyone turned their heads around to see that Kai had appeared and was standing at the top of the staircase. "The team is only as strong as each component."

"Truer words have never been spoken," Ray commented. He lightly elbowed Tyson in the side. "Come on, you know it's true."

"Yeah yeah," Tyson said with a dismissive wave of his hand. The frown on his face was suddenly replaced with a large grin. "C'mon Maxie, let's show these armatures what we can do!"

"You said it, buddy!" Max said energetically before rushing off with his friend towards an empty dish.

"Hey! Wait for me, guys!" Hilary called while chasing after the two. Kenny closed his laptop and chased after her as well.

Ray watched them with a small smile on his face before turning to Crystal who had waited, as if sensing he had something he wanted to say. "I wish you'd reconsider and come back with me," he said as he studied her face for any changes in the placid look.

She shrugged. "I feel like I have better opportunities here. That's all. And China will always be there. Besides, I need to know if what Kaoru said about Dricen was true." She bit her tongue to keep back the words she wanted to yell at him. He wouldn't understand the confusing feelings that were bouncing around in her stomach and she didn't want to say anything until she was 100% sure she knew what they meant herself.

Ray nodded slowly. "I guess I can understand that." How couldn't he? He left for almost the exact same reason, though not for the same result. He always knew, deep down, that there was something about her that didn't let her fit in the village as well as the rest of them but he hoped that her heart still belonged there. It was hard to tell. Sadly, he didn't know her as much as he thought that he did and it dawned on him that he had to learn all over again. He began to turn away but stopped and said, "But when you do come back, please promise me that you'll practice and bring all you've got when we battle next. I expect you to beat me sometime in the future, but I'm not going to hold my breath about it."

"Fine, sure," she said in a defeated tone as she held up her hands. A few seconds later it dawned on her what she said and she let out an aggravated growl and started yelling at his retreated back.

"_Hey_! Kon! Come back here right now! Don't you walk away from me when I'm yelling at you! I'm going to kill you, Kon! _KON_!"

Growling obscenities under her breath, she stomped over to where Tyson and Max were locked in fierce battle. Soon her shoulders relaxed followed by the rest of her body. She even began cheering for two of her friends before taking the time to look around at the new group of friends she had managed to acquire over the past couple of months. Reaching into her pocket she glanced at her bitchip and swore, in the back of her mind, that she heard Dricen's familiar roar.

Everything that she's been through—all the trials and tribulations that lead up to this moment—she finally realized was worth it.

While her future was unknown she knew one thing for a fact: that she wouldn't trade her life for the world. She was still a crouching tiger, ready to escape if need be. Her muscles were still tense and her claws were unsheathed. One day, she hoped, she'd finally be able to relax her muscles and find where she truly belonged.

_**To be continued...**_

* * *

**A/N:** Whew. I've had this story sitting around in my mind for ages. I've even had a version of it up on the site before taking it down for a while to re-edit the plot and my character to make sure she wasn't a Mary-Sue and well liked and here is the final product. It took me three years longer than I expected to get it done, however I don't feel like stories should be rushed to fit a certain "deadline". That was a part of my thought process, the other was that I got in and out of beyblade and that life got in the way but I finally hunkered down and finished part 1 of Crystal's story.

That's right, it isn't finished yet. This was just a glimpse into her and her life. The next story in the _Crouching Tiger_ series is _Crouching Tiger: Summer Paradise, _a sort of OVA fanfic about how BBA Revolution and White Tiger X celebrate Ray's seventeenth birthday with a week of fun in the sun_. _But, of course, being in the vicinity of the World Champions, things don't go as planned.

With that story you can look forward to a few more questions being answered (or close to being answered) such as who Hilary ends up with (Kai or Tyson), a little bit more information about Dricen's origins, Crystal's feelings for Ray (and Max?), what's the story with Kaoru and who he's working for (is he? And who with if he is?), why Kai is suddenly becoming more open with his "friends", and bring forth the facets of a Chinese wedding and all that goes along with it which will segue into _Crouching Tiger II: Yin and Yang_ (tentative title). I'm already working on ideas and an outline for Summer Paradise so that one should be up fairly soon.

For now I would like to take the time to thank my reviewers (I'm not going to thank every individually since there are so many).

**Aldamonburst:** Thanks so much, dude, for sticking with this story after the deleting and the re-posting. Thanks for being really patient and staying curious about the story. As a faithful reviewer I have to say that you are a part of why this story kept going, even during my down times, for you were always there with a kind review that gave me the motivation to keep going when there were those small moments in time when I wanted to give up on this story. The fact that someone was there to see it through the end is very humbling. Thank you.

**Shiningheart of ThunderClan**: I love your reviews, they always make me smile and make me want to update more and faster so you don't go crazy with the wait, haha. Your reviews always helped me think of plot twists and give answers to questions that you've asked so that the others weren't confused. Your thoughts and enthusiasm in your reviews always kept me wanting to update just to see how you'd react. I'm glad my story leaves you on the edge of your seat in some moments or makes you feel concerned for the characters.

**Jupsi: **My grammar Nazi, thanks for sticking around and pointing out all the grammar, spelling, punctuation etc. mistakes that I have made in the pat chapters. If it weren't for your watchful eye I would've never noticed them. (I still have yet to go back and fix some of 'em but I will thanks to your reviews pointing them out). Thanks for taking the time to comb through the chapters, I really appreciate it.

**Silverwolfgurl87:** Thank you so much for your reviews and your enthusiasm with the story. I'm glad that you're connecting with it and the characters. Your reviews always make me smile and I greatly appreciate that you've stuck around with me and this story.

To all the other signed and unsigned reviewers and the silent readers, I thank you all. I thank you for giving this story and my character a chance. I thank you for helping bring this story to life and helped keep it going. Thanks to you, _all_ of you, every reviewer and every reader I found the inspiration and motivation to expand this story and finish the Crouching Tiger saga.

Once again, thank you all.

Be on the lookout for _Crouching Tiger: Summer Paradise_ coming at you soon.

Peace.

~C.M.

P.S. Quick thing, I'm very surprised none of you mentioned anything about Ray and Mariah kissing in the last chapter. I figured at least one of you would've said something about it, haha. Oh, and switching to third person for the final chapter was on purpose. It's an epilogue of sorts so I decided to write it in a different way.


	37. Crouching Tiger: Summer Paradise Info

**NOTE**

Okay, everyone, the moment you've all been waiting for. Crouching Tiger: Summer Paradise is up!

Here's the full summary:

Summer vacation has finally arrived and BBA Revolution finds themselves in the Bahamas celebrating Ray's seventeenth birthday with the White Tigers. Of course, being the World Champions, they have a constant target on their backs that always attracts trouble. With the return of a supposedly reformed rival their week-long vacation of fun in the sun will be compromised with their duty of protecting the sport of beyblading. OCs

The only "major" OC is Crystal, of course, however there are other OCs included as minor characters needed to push the story forward. I hope you all enjoy it.

P.S. I have a poll up on my profile that I'd love for you readers to check out once you get the chance. Thanks!


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